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UN adopts High Seas Treaty to protect the ocean

At the UN 'High Seas Treaty' negotiations in New York, a historic vote for the...

Hopes raised for whale and dolphin protection after last minute landmark nature agreement

WDC's Ed Goodall (far right) at COP15 with Thérèse Coffey (centre) UK Secretary of State...

WDC orca champion picks up award

Beatrice Whishart MSP picks up her Nature Champion award The Scottish Environment LINK, an organisation...

Large number of dolphins moved to Abu Dhabi marine park

Up to 24 captive bottlenose dolphins have reportedly been sent to a new SeaWorld theme...

Success! Controversial plan for oil transfers between ships in important dolphin habitat dropped

A port authority in Scotland has announced that it is to drop plans to pursue a licence to transfer oil between ships in the Moray Firth.

Invergordon’s Port of Cromarty Firth announced it’s decision regarding the controversial plan after campaign groups, including WDC raised the issue of potential harm to wildlife in the area.

Ship-to-ship transfers involve one cargo ship moving crude oil or other petroleum products to another vessel while they are moored alongside.

The transfers at sea avoid the need for berthing charges but also mean that oil spills are a risk to dolphins, porpoises, minke whales, seals, seabirds and many other marine species that use the area. The proposed location within the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation for bottlenose dolphins was something WDC fought to stop. Many people in the area were critical of the consultation process when the plans were first revealed in 2015, and WDC felt that the Cromarty Firth Port Authority’s assessment of environmental impacts of such a plan was inadequate and fell short of what is required under the EU Habitat Directive Regulations.

WDC provided campaigning support to well organised local community campaigns (Nairn Rising and Cromarty Rising) and we are delighted that oil transfers will not be allowed in the area.

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