Systems preventing deaths of dolphins in military exercises in Wales should be used across the UK, says WDC

Scientists have been forced to produce monitoring systems to protect dolphins from being killed by military trials and firing range exercises at Aberporth in Cardigan Bay

The listening equipment picks up dolphin clicks from many miles away so that firing can be halted if a pod of dolphins is heard entering a missile testing area.

WDC congratulate the MOD for taking their marine environmental responsibilities seriously in Cardigan Bay, and preventing the deaths of bottlenose dolphins in this Special Area of Conservation using the passive listening equipment.

However, other military activities occur in the UK that continue to threaten whales and dolphins and existing Ministry of Defence monitoring and mitigation measures are inadequate. Garvie island in North Scotland is one such example, where massive bombs are detonated many times each year, without adequate assessment or monitoring for whales and dolphins.

WDC continues to call for the MOD to undertake a full Strategic Environmental Assessment to ensure that all potential impacts, including death, injury and changes in behaviour, are understood and acted on.