THE Dolphin Research Institute has renewed calls for boaters to be careful around dolphins in Port Phillip Bay after young calves were “clearly distressed by vessels” earlier this month.There are at least seven dolphin calves only weeks old and are still totally reliant on their mother, the institute’s executive director Jeff Weir said. But he said researchers had unfortunately witnessed “profound tail slapping,” where dolphins “vigorously bang their tail fluke on the water in a graphic distress response that can be seen and heard hundreds of metres away”. “It’s a sign that vessels need to give them space,” he said.“The…
Browsing: Boating
WITH the summer boating season fast approaching, Safe Transport Victoria is calling on all boaters, jet-skiers, and paddle boarders to prioritise vessel maintenance and to familiarise themselves with waterway safety rules.Two boating safety initiatives have been launched including a new partnership between Safe Transport Victoria and the maritime smartphone app DECKEE, and the seasonal Back to Basics program. The partnership provides Victorian boaters with a smarter way to get information on mandatory safety equipment and waterway rules that are relevant to their location and vessel type, thanks to the GPS capabilities of DECKEE.DECKEE shows weather forecasts, wave and tide information,…