On an 'en-dolphin' rush

On an 'en-dolphin' rush

It's so exciting, I’m on an ‘en-dolphin’ rush! I’d just finished a video about National Marine week standing on the foreshore as the tide receded. As I glanced round, there they were, two pods of six bottle nosed dolphins just offshore travelling fast towards a gannet feeding frenzy close by.

The dolphins pushed themselves, razorbills and gulls into the air off the sea as they headed like missiles, through the birds, for deeper waters, not even interested in feeding. Phew what a mind bite that was...a few minutes of intense top level marine life, just showing how amazing wildlife in the North Sea off Northumberland can be. It’s not just that, the foreshore where I’m standing is covered in small black periwinkles and the rock pools are moving with crabs and blennies. You might be forgiven for thinking all is ok.

Not so, of course, the sea is still rich in parts and recovering from years of overuse and overfishing, of being bottom trawled out of existence at times. Even in marine conservation zones, this and other damaging activities are going on still, sometimes on an industrial scale. We need some places where the sea is really protected and is even a no take zone where marine ecosystems can restore themselves unhindered. So then, one day, instead of being surprised by seeing a dolphin, it might be a normal occurrence as the seas are so rich.

This apparent dream could come true it seems.  Along with a lot of very encouraging announcements on climate and biodiversity, the Government wants to designate highly protected marine zones. Wow that is brilliant isn’t it?! Of course it is.. as long as it actually is followed up and properly resourced and is enforceable and then actually happens.

Maybe it will, but just as good things are being said about turning round extinction and climate breakdown, we have the biodiversity train crash that is HS2 and much more infrastructure building. Its also been found out that ways of taking many of our protected animals off the protection list to make development easier is under active consideration, potentially undermining the great 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act which has at least held the line for many species but has not been able to stop the drop of many towards scarcity or worse. So what should we believe in? Will the good things promised reign over the bad for future biodiversity on sea and land?

None of us know, but as a Wildlife Trust and all who support us, it’s our job to hold politicians, their policy promises and their actual decisions and actions to account. As I gaze out to sea and hope to see more dolphins in the future, I hope I’m not just dreaming of a highly protected great future for our seas and that on this account, and this time, the dream will be a reality.

Hear more from Mike in person via the video he mentions, and find out how you can get involved in National Marine week, here