WILDLIFE advocates are raising urgent concerns about boaters disturbing large whales in Port Phillip Bay after reports surfaced that the mammals were being “chased and harassed” in the Bass Strait. There have been three sightings of humpback whales in the bay with two mature humpback whales thrilling onlookers as they swam past Seaford, Frankston, Mornington, and Mount Martha on 28 June.Scientists from the Dolphin Research Institute’s Two Bays Whale Project confirmed the sightings, noting humpback and southern right whales were present in the waters during their northern migration, and each year, some pass through Port Phillip Heads and enter the…
Browsing: Boating
THE Dolphin Research Institute has renewed calls for boaters to be careful around dolphins in Port Phillip Bay after young calves were “clearly distressed by vessels” earlier this month.There are at least seven dolphin calves only weeks old and are still totally reliant on their mother, the institute’s executive director Jeff Weir said. But he said researchers had unfortunately witnessed “profound tail slapping,” where dolphins “vigorously bang their tail fluke on the water in a graphic distress response that can be seen and heard hundreds of metres away”. “It’s a sign that vessels need to give them space,” he said.“The…
WITH the summer boating season fast approaching, Safe Transport Victoria is calling on all boaters, jet-skiers, and paddle boarders to prioritise vessel maintenance and to familiarise themselves with waterway safety rules.Two boating safety initiatives have been launched including a new partnership between Safe Transport Victoria and the maritime smartphone app DECKEE, and the seasonal Back to Basics program. The partnership provides Victorian boaters with a smarter way to get information on mandatory safety equipment and waterway rules that are relevant to their location and vessel type, thanks to the GPS capabilities of DECKEE.DECKEE shows weather forecasts, wave and tide information,…