Dolphin found dead at Palolem beach

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-03-23
CANACONA - The carcass of a large dolphin was washed ashore at Palolem beach in Canacona on Sunday. The cause of death is not known.
The fishing community in the area has speculated that the dolphin could have died due to a number of reasons. They say that dolphin sightings along the southern coastal belt of Goa has attracted both national as well as foreign tourists and everyday, from dawn to afternoon, more then fifty dolphin sightings trips are undertaken at the Palolem-Patnem-Agonda beach, by the local boat owners.
Mr Udaybab, a social worker from Palolem said, “These small boats often meet with minor accidents and many a times dolphins are involved, as these boats chase the mammals in order to get a closer look at this magnificent creature. The smaller boats often overturn and capsize, putting the life of the sightseer into peril.”
Some foreign tourists at Palolem expressed shock at the sight of the dead dolphin and strongly objected to the manner in which the boat operators conduct dolphin-sighting tours. They say these boat operators are totally unprofessional and often do not know what they are doing. One of them said, “Once a dolphin is sighted all the boats keep chasing around the spot hoping that the mammal will surface again; this often leads to the dolphin getting injured in the bargain.” They also expressed the opinion that fishing activities in the area can also lead to the death of dolphins.
Mr Pauto Pagui, an old fisherman informed that a few years ago carcasses of whales were found at Palolem and Patnem beaches, but the reason for their death is still unknown. He suspects the death of the dolphin on Sunday is due to a boating accident. He however expressed surprise that no attempt is being made by the concerned authorities to determine the cause of death of this dolphin. However, dolphin sighting boat trip operators defend this allegation and point the finger at the high-powered speedboats used for adventure trips, as an equally detrimental activity disturbing the dolphin habitat and causing injuries to
these mammals.
They also opine that dolphins trapped in fishing nets could be another reason for the injuries leading to dolphin deaths. Most shocking is the fact that, though the dolphin is a protected species, the forest department seems helpless as far as this issue goes. There also seems to be no regulatory mechanism put in place to protect the dolphins. It seems that the Forest Department and the Fisheries Department have both not taken a very serious view of the dolphins in the area and the activities that may be leading to their death.