PARK WATCH Article December 2024 |

Shannon Hurley,  Nature Conservation Campaigner, gives the low down on why Bottlenose Dolphins need protected areas

If you’ve spent time on Port Phillip Bay or taken the Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferry, you might’ve been lucky enough to witness a pod of dolphins riding the bow’s wake. It’s a breathtaking sight that hypnotises some and spurs others to whip out their phones to capture the magic.

Port Phillip Bay is especially important for Bottlenose Dolphins, easily recognised by their tri-colored bodies, stubby noses, and curved dorsal fins. The Burrunan Dolphin (Tursiops australis), one of three types of Bottlenose Dolphin, was officially classified as a unique species in 2011. They’re found nowhere else in the world but south-eastern Australia.

There are only two known local populations: Port Phillip Bay has 150 individuals, and Gippsland Lakes 60, easily justifying their Critically Endangered status (under Victoria’s nature laws).

Until recently, we didn’t know much about where they spend their time across Port Phillip Bay. But new research for Australian Marine Mammal Foundation has shed light on how Burrunan Dolphins behave in the bay.

These playful porpoises are active in the northern and southern regions of the bay, a much larger area than previously assumed. They favor depths of 5–15 metres. The more we know about how and where the Burrunan Dolphins move, the more effective our conservation efforts will be.

Assessing current protections

These new discoveries raise questions about the endangered dolphin’s current protections. Are they enough to guard against boating disruptions that interfere with feeding and resting, underwater noise pollution, and the risk of getting tangled in fishing gear?

There are real concerns about the single dolphin sanctuary zone in Port Phillip Bay and whether it truly protects these animals. The Ticonderoga Bay Sanctuary Zone (TBSZ), established in 1996, wasn’t based on thorough scientific data.

Marine protected areas are essential, and some, like Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary in the north of the bay, are now key habitats for Burrunan Dolphins.

Unfortunately, increasing boating and fishing is putting pressure on these areas. VNPA receives numerous reports from concerned community members

This is one of the many reasons to create two new sanctuary zone, one in the southern part of the bay, and another that would expand Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary to include areas up to the 15 metre depth contour, increasing the protected area’s size.

We urge the Victorian Government to adopt these recommendations. Why wouldn’t they use this opportunity to help the charismatic dolphin to thrive, and give every visitor to the bay a chance to be hypnotised?

End the state ban on marine protection! Add your name if you want more protection for our ocean life