The Problem
Our communities in the Highlands are coming together to raise awareness of an urgent issue, which not only threatens a specially protected habitat of an important bottlenose dolphin population, but is also threatening the endangered harbour porpoises and marine life as well as local bird colonies. In the area of highest density of our beloved dolphins (which attract thousands of tourists each year)- a proposal has been made to allow ship to ship oil transfers. Not only has this application been shown to lack any economic gain to our community, it has also been criticised by over a dozen experts and environmental bodies. In spite of heavy criticism from leading ecology experts and concerned bodies the application is still being pursued. Our community council held a meeting and the vote was unanimous against the proposals to allow this. We also instructed experts in the oil industry to review the reports and surveys and found the risk assessments to be flawed and grossly underestimating the impact on the dolphin families of the Cromarty and Moray Firths. Let alone the extensive impact on our local bird colonies and other wildlife, such as a humpback whale "Humpy"- spotted just yesterday at the very site of the suggested oil-transfers. With the UK government already under attack from EU courts over its failure to properly protect our marine mammals (especially harbour porpoise)- we as a community feel we must hold them accountable for the protection of these special creatures. We feel privileged to be able to walk just minutes from our homes at almost any day of the year and see the dolphins playing and interacting close to the shore. Everyone who has been here on holiday and witnessed it, feels how special that is. People come here on holiday, year after year to see them again. We really feel that the dolphins especially are our friends, and in fact their presence has brought an estimated £270million annually to our local economy through direct tourism and ecotourism. That's something we feel gives them a right to remain safe in their preferred habitat. The dolphins dont have a voice, so we want to give them one! We are fundraising and educating people locally about the plans so that we can rise together as a community to challenge this unnecessary threat to their environment. We hope to protect their home and ensure they are here for many generations to feel the special connection with them. We hope that we will win our plight to choose Nature over Profit.