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  • All policy news
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Prevent deaths in nets
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Sperm whale © Douglas Hoffman

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All news
  • All news
  • About whales & dolphins
  • Corporates
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Green Whale
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Scottish Dolphin Centre
  • Stop whaling
  • Stranding
  • Whale watching
Amazon river dolphins leaping

Endangered river dolphins die in Amazon drought

Over 100 endangered pink river dolphins have died in an area of the Amazon over...
Fin whale

Short and cruel hunt season ends in Iceland

The shortened Icelandic fin whale hunts season has finished with a final total of 23...
Bottlenose dolphins breaching

Landmark report reveals UK wildlife’s devastating decline

With whales and dolphins already facing many threats, a landmark report released this week reveals...
Dolphins with oil rig

Go ahead for new UK oil and gas exploration threatens whales and dolphins

Permission has been granted for the development of the UK's biggest untapped oilfield off Shetland,...
All policy news
  • All policy news
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Stop whaling
  • Strandings
Sperm whale © Douglas Hoffman

Featured policy news item

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc magna elit, gravida at lectus vitae,...
sea_world_orlando_rob_lott

Holiday giant Thomas Cook stops selling tickets to Seaworld and Loro Parque

Holiday giant Thomas Cook stops selling tickets to Seaworld and Loro Parque Following a three...

Endangered Southern Resident orca loses newborn calf

In heartbreaking news from the Pacific Northwest, the Center for Whale Research has reported that...
srkw_shoup_2003_text

U.S. Defense Bill weakens protections for whales

24 July 2018, Plymouth, MA: The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act conference report was released...

Hope for whales and dolphins as ‘world first’ protected areas proposal is announced in Scotland

Minke whale in Scottish waters

On the eve of World Oceans Day, promising news has emerged from Scotland with the announcement of a public consultation on proposals to designate more marine protected areas (MPAs) in the region.

MPAs provide protection for the most important areas of whale and dolphin habitat, where a population might feed, breed, socialise and raise their calves and, over the past few years, WDC has campaigned hard for the inclusion of whales, dolphins and porpoises in MPA’s in UK waters and across the globe.

Four new MPAs, one of which spans the Sea of the Hebrides, have been recommended to add to the developing network of sites across Scotland’s seas.

Once in place, these new MPAs should protect some of Scotland’s most iconic species, including the basking shark, the world’s second largest fish, minke whales and the little-known Risso’s dolphin. Minke whales migrate to Scottish seas in greater numbers through the summer to feed and breed, but their numbers have declined historically due to commercial hunting. These species all make popular viewing for Scotland’s growing wildlife-watching industry and the proposed MPA for the Sea of the Hebrides would be a world first for this species.

However, these proposals would protect the sites in name only; a further process will be required to implement management measures to reduce the impact of human activities on the protected species and habitats.

Sarah Dolman, policy manager for Whale and Dolphin Conservation said: “We commend the Scottish government for bringing forward these MPA proposals. We need to understand and protect the important habitats of Scotland’s little known Risso’s dolphins and playful minke whales by monitoring and managing activities that may impact them, individually and collectively.”

STAY TUNED. We will be telling supporters how they can take part in the public consultation very shortly.

 

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