Speeding boaties ‘just not getting the message’

SPEEDING boaties continue to recklessly race along the Port River, posing a serious risk to baby dolphins within the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary — see the video.

• SIGN THE PETITION HERE
• Why we need to protect our Port River Dolphins
• Speeding boats are killing our dolphins
• Anger at Port River baby dolphin deaths

SOME boaties are “just not getting the message” despite a huge wave of support from locals to reduce speed within the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.

Despite nearly 7000 people signing Messenger Community News’ petition to try and protect the Port River dolphins, some boaties are still endangering these special locals.

Henley Beach resident Simon Retallick was out on the water last weekend when he filmed one boat “going at full speed straight off the Garden Island boat ramp.”

Mr Retallick’s shocking video shows a dolphin break the surface of the water in the foreground as the boat speeds past, showing “total disregard for the seven-knot speed limit”.

“This area is often populated with many dolphins including juveniles and it was only luck that prevented yet another dolphin death,” Mr Retallick said.

“Impacts from speeding boats are a major cause of young dolphin deaths within the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.

“The mother dolphins are visibly traumatised by the death of their young often staying with their dead babies grief-stricken for many days.

“Some boaties are just not getting the message or are blatantly choosing to ignore it.”

Out of seven calves born in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary this season, only three have survived.

One death, two-week-old Holly, has been confirmed as a boat death.

Dolphin Ripple (in background) and her now deceased calf Holly. Picture: Marianna Boorman.

The other calves have not been found but other than pollution — which is likely to contribute to the high mortality rate in the Port River — boat strikes are by far the most probable cause of dolphin deaths.

A recent report by the South Australian museum found that 17 out of 35 dolphin fatalities in the past 13 years were caused by speeding boats.

Messenger Community News, with the support of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, is calling on the State Government to introduce a 10 knot speed limit throughout the dolphin sanctuary in a bid to try and prevent these tragedies.

At the moment, the limit ranges wildly from four knots to unlimited — a situation that has been described as “inappropriate” for a designated dolphin sanctuary.

The sanctuary was declared in 2005 as a protected zone for the dolphins.

It extends 118 sq km and includes Garden Island, Barker Inlet, Outer Harbor and North Haven marinas and up north to Port Gawler.

“If nothing is done to stop the hoons and ignorant boaties, we risk losing a truly wonderful and magical environment,” Mr Retallick said.

“Dolphins are intelligent creatures — it would be totally understandable if they left the sanctuary for good and raised their young in a much safer environment.”