Gibraltar authorities remind all boat and jet-ski users to respect marine wildlife rules

Environment

The Department of Environment issues cetacean protocol reminder as whale season gets underway

SUR in English

The Gibraltar Department of Environment has released a reminder to the public urging all boat and jet ski users to remain vigilant and respect marine wildlife while navigating in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

The reminder comes as reports of migrating Fin Whales in local waters become increasingly common at this time of year, as the animals make their way out of the Mediterranean toward their feeding grounds in the North East Atlantic. Authorities say the sightings underline the significance of Gibraltar's waters as a key migratory corridor for a range of species, including turtles, sunfish, sharks and seabirds.

All whales and dolphins are protected under Gibraltar's Nature Protection Act and the Cetacean Protocol, introduced in 2014. Under the rules, boat and jet ski operators must allow cetaceans to move freely in all directions and must not intercept or cut across their path. A minimum distance of 300 metres must be maintained where adults are accompanied by young, while within a 500-metre radius, vessels may travel at no more than four knots or the speed of the slowest animal in the group. No vessel should come within 60 metres of any whale or dolphin unless in an emergency, and engines must be placed in neutral or switched off if animals come within that distance.

Loggerhead turtles, which are also strictly protected and frequently spotted in local waters during this period, must equally not be touched or disturbed. The Department noted that turtles are sometimes seen floating motionless on the surface, which is normal behaviour and not a cause for concern.

The Department's Environmental Protection and Research Unit (EPRU) will be actively monitoring activity at sea to ensure compliance. Any breaches of the Protocol or the Nature Protection Act may result in legal proceedings.

Members of the public who witness animals being disturbed or in distress are asked to contact the EPRU immediately on 00 350 58009620.