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Calling for safer disposal of bombs at sea to protect cetaceans

By November 3, 2020No Comments

strandings, stop sea blasts, Joanna Lumley, whales, dolphinsA campaign led by UK actress Joanna Lumley and supported by Marine Connection is demanding offshore wind farm developers stop blowing up old war bombs that are lurking in British waters and devastating whales and dolphins.

We are calling for the bombs to be burned out rather than detonated – a low order deflagration uses a small charge to cause the explosive contents to ignite and burn out which is much safer for marine life. There are believed to be about 100,000 tonnes of explosives left in Britain’s seas, with some wartime relics weighing up to half a tonne.

Before wind farms can be built these bombs must be cleared from the sea bed, however, detonating them can have a huge impact on cetaceans and their hearing/navigational abilities.  In 2011, a mass stranding of long-finned pilot whales occurred in Scotland and a subsequent Government report concluded that four large bombs detonated at sea by the Royal Navy were to blame for the stranding and death of 19 of these whales.

Ms Lumley and Marine Connection are now calling for a better approach to this issue, as less harmful, evidence-based alternatives are available.  It is time for government regulators and wind farm developers to take immediate action to eradicate unnecessary threats to marine life.  Further information can be found at this link

TAKE ACTION!
For the sake of the lives of dolphins and whales please support the ‘Stop Sea Blasts’ campaign by signing this petition

Thank you!

 

Photo Credit: Jamie Dyer, BDMLR
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