The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has confirmed that it is investigating the alleged use of a “pinger” or acoustic sonar to deter a Co Clare-based dolphin from approaching young swimmers last summer.
As The Sunday Independent reports, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) co-ordinator Dr Simon Berrow has also expressed concern about any use of the device without a licence. The “pinger” was allegedly used to deter Dusty the dolphin from approaching young swimmers on the Clare coast.
Unlike Fungie, the bottlenose dolphin which frequented Dingle harbour in Kerry for 37 years until it disappeared in 2020, Dusty has had occasional aggressive encounters with swimmers.
Dr Berrow confirmed that the IWDG had received a report that the device was being used by Clare Water Safety. It is understood that it was used in the White Strand and Miltown Malbay areas of Clare in late summer. Dr Berrow said that the use of a “pinger” can only be done with a licence and has to be strictly controlled.
The acoustic sonar can disrupt echolocation, cause temporary hearing loss and induce stress in marine mammals, and has been linked to mass strandings of marine mammals when used by the military at sea. Military use of acoustic sonar at sea has been linked to mass strandings of marine mammals.
The NPWS said it had “received a report regarding the alleged use of a deterrent device on a dolphin on the west Clare coast” and is “currently investigating the matter”.
“We will not be commenting further at this time,” an NPWS spokesman told the newspaper.
Clare Water Safety did not respond to a request for comment.
Read The Sunday Independent here
