Friday 14 March 2008

"Bottlenose dolphins are a national treasure, adored by many and vital to our oceans. But their ability to feed, breed and communicate could now be seriously disturbed by sounds from oil and gas activities. WWF-UK calls on the Government to respect the protection that these areas should be afforded under the Habitats Directive," said Emily Lewis-Brown, Marine Climate Change Officer at WWF-UK.

Today, the public consultation on the plans to allow oil and gas development in the Scottish Moray Firth and the Welsh, Cardigan Bay Special Areas of Conservation ends.

Habitats Directive
Giving the green light to oil and gas developments in these areas would contravene the Habitats Directive, established to safeguard the dolphins from damaging activities, and draws into question the Government's commitment to protecting our seas.

WWF has raised its concerns about the proposals over the past 18 months, warning that the intense loud noise used in oil and gas exploration, alongside the disturbance and pollution risk associated with production pose unacceptable threats to the dolphins in an area so critical to their survival.

Need for Marine Act
The threat to this species further demonstrates the urgent need for UK Marine Acts, and secondary devolved legislation, that will improve the management of our seas and help protect our marine species and habitats from man's harmful activities. At present, less than 0.001% of our seas are protected from damaging activities.

In 2005, WWF-UK published a Marine Health Check Report, which concluded that 13 out of 16 key species and habitats are in decline in UK waters. WWF has campaigned for several years for a Marine Act, and hopes the forthcoming Draft Marine Bill alongside a Scottish Marine Bill and other devolved legislation will deliver the effective marine legislation that our seas so desperately need.

Lewis-Brown adds: "This is a particularly crucial time for UK seas as they are facing the global environmental challenge of climate change as well as the continuing pressures of other human activities. WWF-UK looks forward to the publication of the Draft Marine Bill, and urges the Government to introduce a full Marine Bill in the Queen's Speech later this year, and to work with devolved administrations for the required complementary legislation that is vital to ensure nationally important marine species and habitats are safeguarded."