Dolphin sea pen plan could be more pie in the sky than ever

Dolphin Marine Conservation Park “in limbo” and the future of the dolphins “dangerously uncertain” says one MP.

Plans for a sea pen to house the last of Coffs Harbour’s captive dolphins have been dealt a blow with the NSW Government simply ‘noting’ the idea in their response to a recent inquiry.

The Upper House Parliamentary Inquiry into the use of exotic animals in circuses and the exhibition of dolphins in NSW was released late last year.

At the time animal welfare groups welcomed the report, which recommended the NSW Government provide support to Dolphin Marine Conservation Park (DMCP), Action for Dolphins and World Animal Protection to enable the completion of a feasibility study into relocating the three remaining dolphins at the park to a sea sanctuary.

At the time State MP Gurmesh Singh was guarded in his response saying: “what that support looks like is yet to be determined.”

But now, the formal response to the inquiry released last week, has simply ‘noted’ the sea pen plan saying the NSW Government would continue to provide technical advice.

Deputy chair of the inquiry and Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst is bitterly disappointed at the government’s response saying it has left Dolphin Marine Conservation Park “in limbo” and the future of the dolphins at the park “dangerously uncertain”.

Government regulations recently ended the use of dolphins for captive entertainment in NSW.

“But the Minister Agriculture, Adam Marshall has fallen short, failing to confirm financial and other Government assistance to retire the last dolphins in this industry despite pleas from Dolphin Marine Conservation Park in Coffs Harbour,” Ms Hurst said.

She has also questioned the claim made in the response that the NSW Government continues to provide technical advice on the sea sanctuary.

“This contradicts what I have been told, which is that these groups have currently received no ‘advice’.

“Clearly the Government is refusing to be part of the solution, but in doing so they are leaving these animals and a local business in limbo.”

Dolphins are no longer bred in captivity at Dolphin Marine Conservation Park. The three remaining dolphins there are Zippy, Bella and Jet.

Calamity died in June 2020. She was Dolphin Marine Conservation Park's oldest cetacean, believed to be about 40, and long-time partner of Bucky, who passed away 10 months earlier.

Various parties have been working together on a sea pen feasibility study since 2018.

In May 2019 Dr Isabella Clegg visited Coffs Harbour to assess the overall welfare of the remaining dolphins at the park.

Dr Clegg conducted her PhD on determining the best way to assess the welfare of dolphins residing under human care and devised the C-Well model, which is short for cetacean welfare. She now travels the globe consulting to marine parks to ensure dolphins have the best possible care.

On a more positive note, the Government has supported the Parliamentary Inquiry’s recommendation to increase funding for marine rescue and rehabilitation, and announced it will distribute $50,000 via a grant program.