sightings
The 2002 fishing season is well under way. Already dead and dying dolphins and whales are being sighted off the coast of Cornwall and South Devon and are washing ashore on our beaches. This is the time when most deaths due to bycatch occur. It is estimated that 6000-8000 dolphins die each season around our shores. Please report any stranded or dead animals as soon as possible so that action can be taken.
Part of a large pod of pilot whales sighted about 20 miles off the South Hams coast.
Some individuals are well-known to those who are familiar with local waters. Benty (named for his distinctively shaped dorsal fin) has been sighted frequently for over a decade. Recording the movements of such individuals helps fill in the largely unknown details of the lives of our marine mammals. This photo of the bottlenose dolphin Benty was taken in 1996 off Prawle Point by Geoff Foale.
Photo by Mick Allen
