By Lauren Walthour
Visitors aboard one of the Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips in New Quay while a dolphin surfaces. This is one of SeaWatch’s recommended boat trips since they follow the code of conduct.
Imagine this – you’re swimming in a pool with the warm sun on your back, feeling entirely relaxed. All of the sudden someone starts yelling and splashing around you, creating large waves of commotion. The relaxation is gone and confusion has set in… this is the world that marine mammals face everyday.
In New Quay, Wales marine mammals thrive. Presented with a variety of fish to eat, shallow areas that provide protection from predators, and safe habitats to raise their young, cetaceans are able to live their best lives. Not only is it a suitable habitat, but Cardigan Bay is home to the largest morphotype of bottlenose dolphins in the world, along with other species such as common dolphins, harbour porpoises, gray seals, and minke whales. Because this hotspot attracts some of the most popular marine mammals, people from all over travel to spot these magnificent creatures, and therefore increase the anthropogenic effects on marine life in these areas.
Anthropogenic effects are the human impacts on biodiversity and the environment. There are four main categories: the overexploitation of natural resources, modification/fragmentation of environments, pollution, and the introduction of foreign and non-native species. Each of these categories houses many different examples of how we, as humans, impact the natural world around us.
Over the years, ecotourism has thrived. From snorkel tours, to whale watching boats, the human kind are getting more familiar with the ocean everyday. However, there are some negative effects that have also arisen. Vessel activity has shown a sharp increase in recent years all across the world. Current research provides evidence that an increase in vessel activity has been correlated to increased boat strikes, noise pollution, and the altering of animal behaviours.
Marine mammals are air breathing animals and therefore have to surface quite frequently. Because of this, they are more vulnerable to the negative effects of vessel activity. Without proper regulation, boat users may reach high speeds and accidentally hit marine mammals such as bottlenose dolphins. These boat strikes may be fatal, and if not, they still pose long lasting damage. In addition, sound travels faster underwater compared to in air, and as vessel activity increases so do the noise levels. Cetaceans are especially susceptible because they rely heavily on acoustic signals to communicate and to find prey. When vessel noises are present, it can decrease the hearing range of cetaceans and also alter their natural behaviours. Examples of natural behavioural changes include area avoidance, raised cortisol levels, changes in acoustic behaviours, and shorter dives. However, these effects can be greatly reduced if mitigation efforts and regulations are introduced and enforced in an area.
The year 1992 was important for many reasons, including the adoption of the European Habitats Directive and Natura 2000 (N2k) Network. These directives aimed to create networks of protected sites, such as the Ceredigion Marine Heritage Coast in 1992 and then the Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in 2004. As of today, most of the Welsh coastline is designated as a SAC! The Cardigan Bay SAC stretches from Ceibwr Bay in Pembrokeshire to Aberarth in Ceredigion, reaching 20 km out from the coast and protects around 1000 square km of marine habitat. This protection covers popular species such as marine mammals, along with lampreys and specific habitats like reefs, sea caves, and sandbanks.
The map above showcases the Cardigan Bay SAC boundaries along with other special areas of conservation along the Welsh coastline. Photo: Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.
SACs aim to protect and maintain marine biodiversity, and hope to raise designated species up to “Favourable Conservation Status.” These aims are upheld by officers and good standing citizens of the local community.
In addition, Cardigan Bay dolphin spotting boats try to meet a voluntary code of conduct. This code of conduct is enforced during all boat trips, whether commercial or private. They include specific guidelines to follow when in the presence of marine mammals, birds, or in vital habitats. Some of these guidelines include keeping a distance of at least 100 m, keeping the time spent with the animal to 10 minutes, and reducing the speed and noise of the vessel.
The infographic above lists the rules boaters must follow to adhere to the code of conduct in Cardigan Bay. Photo: Cardigan Bay Watersports.
Cardigan Bay does an amazing job at keeping in line with the code of conduct, and educating the public on the importance of boater safety amongst marine wildlife.
The Seawatch Foundation proudly recommends Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips as a reputable and safe cetacean viewing boat to support. If you would like to learn more about boater safety, vessel disturbance, anthropogenic effects, or marine mammals around New Quay, feel free to visit our visitor centre and we will be happy to answer any questions you have!
Remember, the sea is not our home, we are merely visitors, so be safe and careful around our amazing marine wildlife!
References:
Cunniffe, David. “What is the SAC?” Cardigan Bay SAC,
https://cardiganbaysac.org.uk/what-is-the-sac/#. Accessed 15 April 2024.
Erbe Christine, Marley Sarah A., Schoeman Renée P., Smith Joshua N., Trigg Leah E., Embling Clare Beth, The Effects of Ship Noise on Marine Mammals—A Review , Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 2019, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00606 , 10.3389/fmars.2019.00606
Leslie E. Sponsel, Human Impact on Biodiversity, Overview, Editor(s): Samuel M. Scheiner, Encyclopedia of Biodiversity (Third Edition), Academic Press, 2024, Pages 430-448, ISBN 9780323984348, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822562-2.00010-4.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128225622000104)
“Marine Code of Conduct 2023.” Cardigan Bay Watersports,
https://www.cardiganbaywatersports.org.uk/marine-code-of-conduct/. Accessed 15 April 2024.
National Research Council (US) Committee on Potential Impacts of Ambient Noise in the Ocean on Marine Mammals. Ocean Noise and Marine Mammals. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2003. 3, Effects of Noise on Marine Mammals. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221255/#
Saana, Isojunno. “Coastal habitat use of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (Wales).” University of Jyväskylä (2006).
