Military activity ‘scaring whales and dolphins’ (Scotland, UK)

The ocean update

Military activity is causing dolphins and whales to flee Scotland s marine tourism hotspots. Picture : Contributed

February 24^th, 2014 (Moira Kerr). A WILDLIFE watchdog fears mock warfare and missile fire may be harming whales and dolphins, causing them to flee Scotland’s marine tourism hotspots.

The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s (HWDT) concern over the effect that the Joint Warrior exercise may have on cetaceans is highlighted in its newly published annual report.

The UK-led land, air and sea exercise, the largest tactically focused exercise in Europe, is staged off Scotland’s north west coast each spring and autumn, featuring submarine warfare, loud missile and small arms firing. Now the trust has announced that it plans to send its survey vessel, the Silurian, into the mock war zone this autumn to monitor the effects.

Joint Warrior can see up to 85 aircraft, 22 ships and three submarines taking part and…

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