Incidents of marine disturbance around Cornwall's coast triple in six years
Cornwall Wildlife Trust says "horrific" examples have been seen this year, including jet skis scaring dolphins
Last updated 30th Aug 2021
Cornwall Wildlife Trust says incidents of marine disturbance around the Cornish coast have tripled over the past six years.
Bosses have found there is a seasonal peak in July and August and hotspots include St Ives, Newquay and the Lizard.
Last year there were 371 reports of jet skis, motorboats and walkers disturbing marine life in the Duchy.
The trust has issued a fresh warning, amid concerns more incidents will be reported as more people take to the water over the warm weather bank holiday.
Bosses are urging members of the public to behave responsibly and admire wildlife from a distance.
Research gathered from the Cornwall Marine and Coastal Code Group, a collective of organisations aiming to tackle the problem of marine disturbance and harassment locally, shows disturbance steeply increasing in July and August every year.
This coincides with the peak visitor season in Cornwall, with more and more people wanting to enjoy Cornwall’s beautiful coastline.
Coastal walkers have also been identified as the top cause of disturbance to seals and sea birds, whilst privately-owned leisure boats are the biggest threat to whales, dolphins and porpoises (collectively known as ‘cetaceans’) in Cornish waters.
Ruth Williams, Marine Conservation Manager at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: "It’s great to see so many people enjoying our coastline and seas, but with stay-cations and the numbers of people visiting Cornwall this year we have seen a massive increase in recreational activity on the water, including jet skis, SUPs and boat traffic.
“The impacts of disturbing wildlife can be devastating and we have seen some horrific incidences already this year.
“We urge people to respect our wildlife, to give them space to breed, feed and rest, and watch quietly from a distance".
"Horrific incidences" already this year
In July, three jet-skiers were recorded by Cornwall Wildlife Trust Seaquest Southwest surveyors scaring dolphins and their calves away from their feeding ground near Newquay.
Ian Boreham, one of the volunteers who witnessed the distressing event, said: “Some friends and I had been watching a pod of twenty common dolphins in the bay when we saw a jet skier head directly towards the dolphins and stop on top of them.
“I have seen lots of good practice from those out on the water but have seen others who treat the bay like a race track, driving in a fast and unpredictable manner at speed. It’s really concerning that human disturbance is changing the behaviour of dolphins and other marine life in the area".
In the same month, one rider was also seen disturbing a grey seal off Looe Island - a site used regularly by eleven grey seals including heavily pregnant females.
Looe Island, Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s only marine nature reserve, has had unprecedented numbers of visitors and water users already in 2021.
The island restricts numbers of people coming to visit as it acts as an important haven for wildlife. It’s home to many nesting birds, protected shore creatures and regularly visited by large marine mammals. These include a minke whale and a humpback whale which were both spotted in its surrounding waters in May and July earlier this year.
Whether intentional or not, the disturbance or harassment of whales or dolphins is an offence under UK law, with fines of up to £5,000.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust would like to urge anyone who witnesses an incident of marine disturbance to report it immediately (with any photographs or videos of the incident) to its 24-hour hotline on 0345 201 2626.
Marine disturbance, along with bycatch and noise pollution, are the three biggest threats to the survival of Cornwall’s dolphins and porpoises.
This year, Cornwall Wildlife Trust has launched a £30,000 fundraising appeal to tackle these serious issues, all of which are caused by human behaviours.
More information about the ‘Dolphin and Porpoise Appeal’ can be found on Cornwall Wildlife Trust's dedicated web page.