Speed limits dropped in Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary after Protect Our Dolphin campaign

After nearly a year of fierce campaigning and mounting pressure, the Port River dolphins have won protection in their own home.

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After nearly a year of fierce campaigning and mounting pressure from thousands of South Australians, the State Government has finally taken action to make the Port River dolphins safer in their own home.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll announced on Thursday that speed limits will be dramatically dropped — from unlimited to seven knots — in key areas of the 118sq km Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.

It will remain unlimited outside the Adelaide Speedboat Club and in the channel in the Barker Inlet.

Stephan Knoll has dropped speed limits for boats in the Adelaide Dolphins Sanctuary, to protect the Port River dolphins. Picture: Matt Loxton

The new laws were signed off by the Governor Hieu Van Li on Thursday and come into effect on April 29.

It’s the ultimate victory for Messenger Community News’ Protect Our Dolphins campaign, which kicked off last April after the deaths of four newborn calves.

A necropsy on one of those calves, Holly, showed he had been killed by blunt trauma, which dolphin experts say could only have been caused by a boat.

Mr Knoll credited the year-long POD campaign for helping to bring about change.

“The Marshall Government recognised that there was a lot of community concern around the welfare of our Port River dolphins,” he said.

“The speed limit changes we are enforcing should better protect our Port River Dolphins and improve safety for other watercraft users.

“The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary is an important safe-haven for our Port River dolphins and provides tourism and recreational opportunities. The Port River dolphins are a real drawcard for locals and tourists.

“It was important that we struck the right balance between protecting our beautiful Port River dolphins without adversely affecting human safety and that of boat and other watercraft users.”

A map of the new speed limits in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary

The Advertiser editor Matt Deighton praised the POD campaign, which was supported by thousands of South Australians who signed a petition calling for change.

“This is a victory for Messenger’s campaign and all the South Australians who believed in it,” Mr Deighton said.

“We are delighted that the State Government has listened to this call for change and finally taken action.”

The new laws are sweet relief for the Port’s dolphin-watching community, which is reeling from the deaths of all four calves born to the sanctuary’s pod this summer breeding season.

Over the two years, 11 out of 13 calves born in the Port River have died. Two adults — Bianca and Oriana — also died mysteriously last year.

A report by the South Australian museum released last year showed that 17 out of 35 dolphin bodies retrieved from the river over the past 13 years had been killed by blunt trauma. Experts say that could only be caused by boats.

Port River dolphin calf Squeak is growing into a healthy dolphin. He is one of three calves born in the 2017/18 season that have survived. Picture: Jenni Wyrsta

Mr Knoll’s plan for the sanctuary is a carbon copy of the proposed changes he announced back in November, when stakeholders including Flinders Ports, dolphin expert Dr Mike Bossley, Paddle SA, Kayaking SA, RecFish SA, the South Australian Fishing Alliance, Wildcatch Fisheries and the Boating Industry Association were invited to provide feedback.

The new laws come as Mr Knoll revealed a jump in the number of fines issued to speeding boat-users in the Port River.

Over the past nine months, 13 fines have been handed out — one more than was issued in the 17 months between January 2017 and May last year.

“We’ve also seen almost a doubling in the number of expiations issued after signage was amended nine months ago and as a result of increased patrols,” Mr Knoll said.