The unexpected occupancy of Broadhaven Bay in Belmullet, Co Mayo, by a school of six friendly dolphins, is proving a major attraction. The bottle-nosed dolphins first arrived in the bay, travelling in as far as Belmullet Pier, last Friday, having followed a vessel into the harbour. The school consists of five adults and one calf dolphin which are believed to have become separated from a bigger group further out at sea. Concern for the safety of the mammals gave rise to a number of attempts over the weekend by local marine experts to entice the school back to the safety of the open sea.
All such advances are being resisted by the dolphins. Although the pier tends to have little water at low tide most days, the dolphins have still managed to stay, swimming around a part of the channel which is continually filled with water. A watchful eye is being kept on the dolphins by members of the Marine Mammal Rescue Team and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, among others. While many locals are hoping the dolphins will remain on to become as famous as Fungi in Dingle, others are worried about their ultimate safety.
Mayo environmentalist and aqua-life photographer, Mr Shay Fennelly, yesterday expressed disappointment that no marine wildlife unit existed in Ireland which could take specific steps to protect the dolphins. He urged the Minister of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, to set up such a body. "Dolphins will always require food, shelter or sex, and Belmullet is obviously providing for one or other of these basic needs. What we need now is a conservation action plan to ensure these mammals are protected," he said.