Warning after multiple dolphins injured by boats

There have been a number of reports of injured dolphins, a conservation charity says

Boat owners in Cornwall have been warned to stay away from marine animals after several dolphins were injured.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust said it had received "shocking footage showing multiple injured dolphins" from the Mevagissey to Fowey Ferry crew on Sunday.

The charity said the images showed at least five dolphins with damaged dorsal fins, including two which had been completely cut off.

A spokesperson for the trust said a vet examined the injuries and said they had most likely been caused by high-speed watercraft or propellers.

The Cornwall Wildlife Trust said at least five dolphins were injured

Dorsal fins - which help with movement and balance - are unique to each dolphin and once damaged cannot regenerate, the charity said.

Bosses at the trust said they had received a number of reports recently of boats going towards or through pods and urged people to be "sensible" when out on the water.

The charity said it is illegal to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or disturb cetaceans - whales, dolphins, and porpoises - under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

It added there had been an increase in the number of dolphins spotted in Cornish waters and a rise in waterway activity with recreational boats over the past 10 years.

"Whilst this can lead to spectacular encounters for us, it also brings them into our very busy coastal waterways," Rebecca Allen, marine conservation officer at the trust, said.

"We urge water users to please keep at a sensible speed and follow government guidelines if they do see marine animals: reduce to slow, 'no-wake' speed and keep to a safe distance – at least 100m (328ft) away."

'Concerning'

Dan Barrios-O'Neill, head of marine at the trust, said the damage caused to the dolphins' dorsal fins could contribute to reducing the animal's survival over time.

He said the incidents of boat strikes on dolphins in Cornwall had become "concerning".

Mr Barrios-O'Neill added: "They may do ok [after a boat strike], but they may not and it's certainly a contributing factor to making their lives a bit more difficult."