Transport Minister Stephan Knoll won’t cut speed limits in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary

MORE than 8000 concerned petitioners have called on the State Government to lower speeds in the Port River to protect its precious dolphins – but Transport Minister Stephan Knoll is unmoved.

MORE than 8000 concerned petitioners have called on the State Government to lower speeds in the Port River to protect its precious dolphins – but Transport Minister Stephan Knoll is unmoved.

Speaking exclusively about Messenger Community News’ Protect Our Dolphin campaign – which calls for a blanket 10 knot speed limit in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary to help save the lives of local bottlenoses – Mr Knoll has dismissed the proposal as “unworkable”.

A petition to the State Government has already collected nearly 8500 signatures

The new minister said the government believed the “current speed limit regime works” – despite the speed limit varying from 4 knots to unlimited in some sections.

Speed is one of the biggest killers of dolphins in the sanctuary.

A recent SA Museum report found nearly half of all dolphins found dead in the Port River had been killed by a blunt blow, likely caused by speeding boats.

This summer’s baby boom – the biggest in 10 years – has ended in heartbreak, with just three of the seven babies surviving.

An autopsy on the only body recovered – two-week-old calf Holly – showed she was killed by a boat in January.

Dolphin Ripple with her now deceased calf, Holly. Picture: Marianna Boorman.

The Protect Our Dolphins campaign calls for change, based on the advice of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

But Mr Knoll rejected the idea, saying the status quo was appropriate as it allowed boats, particularly smaller ones, to navigate around each other and maintain a “safe order”.

“A blanket 10 knot speed limit across the sanctuary would be unworkable and ... we think the current speed limit regime works,” Mr Knoll said.

“It is about compliance and enforcement – it is about getting to the root cause of the issue – and dealing with the extreme minority of people who do the wrong thing on our waters.”

However, Adelaide dolphin expert Dr Mike Bossley – who supports the 10 knot speed limit – said the current speed limit regime with open speed limits in many areas was “clearly not working”.

“If Minister Knoll is convinced that four and seven knot speed limits need to be maintained in certain areas I am happy to accept that, so long as the current open speed limit areas are capped at 10 knots,” Dr Bossley said.

Dr Bossley fought for the creation of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary in the Port River.

After observing the dolphins since 1987, Dr Bossley successfully argued the case for the 118 sq km to be declared a protected zone in 2005.

However, it is a common refrain that the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary is a sanctuary in name only due to the frequent presence of speeding boats and the amount of pollution which continues to enter the waterway.

Mum Ripple and baby dolphin Holly who recently died in the Port River. Picture: Jenni Wyrsta

Conservationist Jenni Wyrsta, who is out on the water four days a week, said it was not just a minority of people speeding in the Port River but rather a “high number of people abusing the speed limit”.

“I would like to remind the Minister that this is a Dolphin Sanctuary and the area needs to be a safe area for dolphins, otherwise it is a Dolphin Sanctuary in name only,” Ms Wyrsta said.

“The current speed limits throughout the Dolphin Sanctuary have already proven to be very dangerous for the dolphins.

“A blanket 10 knot limit would make it possible for dolphins to get away from the boats without a fatal injury.”

Dr Bossley and Ms Wyrsta called on residents to sign the petition – at theadvertiser.com.au or change.org/p/government-of-south-australia-protect-our-dolphins-campaign – in a bid to convince Mr Knoll to change his mind.