Concern voiced for dolphins over fuel transfers

SIX conservation charities have joined together to voice their opposition to plans to transfer millions of tonnes of crude oil between tankers anchored in a dolphin hotspot.

They are concerned about Cromarty Firth Port Authority’s application to undertake ship-to-ship oil transfers in the open sea at the mouth of the Cromarty Firth.

The Cromarty Firth Port Authority has applied to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for a new licence to transfer oil between tankers anchored in open water at the mouth of the firth. The site has been described by an expert as “one of the most predictable places bottlenose dolphins will visit in Europe”.

There are fears any oil spill would herald an environmental disaster for the mammals, as well as bird colonies and designated conservation sites.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the Marine Conservation Society, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, RSPB Scotland, WWF Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland claim the proposed shipto-ship transfers threaten nationally and internationallyimportant sites for wildlife.

The proposed location is within the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation for bottlenose dolphin and the proposed Moray Firth Special Area of Protection for a wide range of seabirds.

Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland said: “Shipto-ship oil transfers are an unnecessary risk to Scotland’s important marine wildlife, where even a small leak could prove devastating for some species.

“Unless it can be shown how the marine environment will be protected, these proposals should be shelved.”