Port River dolphin Star likely could have survived – if not for red tape
A dolphin entangled in fishing line and with 12 hooks lodged in her throat likely would have likely survived if the State Government had not delayed the rescue with red tape.
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- Port River dolphin Star found dead, entangled by fishing line and hooks
- Speed limits dropped in Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary after Protect Our Dolphin campaign
A Port River dolphin that died after getting 12 fishing hooks stuck in her throat likely would have survived if the State Government had not delayed the rescue with red tape, the head of the Australian Marine Wildlife Research and Rescue Organisation, Aaron Machado, says.
Mr Machado said he could have freed Star – who was found dead at Barker Inlet with heavy duty fishing line wrapped around her mouth and up to 12 hooks digging into her throat yesterday – two weeks ago.
Star likely only died on Tuesday night.
Mr Machado told the Messenger it was an “ absolute atrocity” that the Fisheries Department had held up the rescue operation, which had to be signed off on by various departments due to Star being inside the protected Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.
“We put in an emergency rescue application with the fisheries minister (and) that department did nothing but throw red tape at us and delay the rescue,” he said.
“It should have been a very easy phone call from one CEO to another, how absurd for that not to have happened (so we could get) a permit.
“If it wasn’t in this geographical area, I would’ve done (the rescue) two weeks ago.”
He was so outraged that he took to Facebook saying: “How unfortunate that this department – the same department that is responsible for those actively fishing and hooking Star in the first place – are responsible for delaying this rescue application.”
Mr Machado said the State Government blocked him from even administering antibiotics to Star, who was suffering from an infection, by use of a tranquilliser dart.
He was also forced to amend his rescue plan six times.
A State Government spokesman said “every possible effort” was made to save Star.
“The dolphin’s death is deeply saddening,” he said.
“Some questions have been raised about the timeliness of approvals and this is something being looked at closely to make sure any unnecessary red tape is removed.
“We appreciate Mr Machado’s efforts to help and we will work with him to make sure future rescue operations are carried out as quickly as possible.”
Additionally, Mr Machado took aim at the State Government for allowing live bait to be used within the dolphin sanctuary.
“We have one of the wonders of the world with a pod of dolphins just outside of the city and we allow live fishing and then not allow a rescue. It is madness,” Mr Machado said.
Star had been seen taking fishers’ baits and scraps thrown overboard making her vulnerable to entanglement and ingestion of hooks.
Mr Machado has been backed by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s Marianna Boorman, who said changes needed to be made to allow speedier rescues.
A rescue was finally allowed on November 29, however, Star could not be caught due to her swimming in deep water.
“It was heartbreaking to see her condition deteriorating and frustrating that, for a variety of reasons, a rescue could not be performed more quickly.”
She agreed that the use of live bait was not appropriate inside the sanctuary.
“There are still several changes that need to happen for the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary to be a true sanctuary,” she said.
A statement released last night by the Department of Environment’s National Parks and Wildlife manager Richard De Groot said it was “unfortunate” a second rescue could not be attempted until yesterday.
“However, given the severity of the entanglement, it’s believed efforts to disentangle the dolphin would have been unsuccessful.”
The Fisheries Minister has been contacted for comment.
