A NUMBER of dead dolphins have been discovered on beaches in the Milford Haven over the last few days. The animals have been seen at Freshwater West, Angle, West Angle Bay and Monk Haven beaches according to locals.
Kali Vonziu posted a photograph on Pembrokeshire – I LOVE IT! saying: “Spotted on Freshwater West today, I hope natural causes and not yet another to succumb to the scourge of plastic in our seas.”
Jane Thomas said: “There was one at Angle earlier in the week. Dead dolphins, porpoises, turtles etc should be reported using a free helpline.”
Penny Harries said: “There have been a couple on Angle beach over the last few weeks.”
Danny Butland also snapped a dead dolphin at West Angle Bay.
Many have speculated that the factory trawlers now operating in the Irish Sea could be to blame for the large number washing up. In December The Herald reported that huge fishing vessels, each over 120m long, are working off the coast of Milford Haven at the present time, the Herald has learned.
Local fishermen say they have been tracking the vessels, which can stay at sea for many weeks, for the last few days.
One local trawlerman, who did not want to be named said that he felt that UK waters were being deliberately targeted before Britain leaves the EU.
The ‘Willem van der Zwan’ at 142m is one of the largest fishing vessels of the Dutch fleet is working alongside three other EU registered factory ships including the ‘Afrika’ and the ‘Carolien’.
At many times larger than the usual trawlers working in the Irish Sea, the four large vessels are amongst 19 fishing boats in the area. One of them is British registered, the rest from other European nations.
A spokesman for the Blue Planet Society said: “The capacity of these trawlers is equivalent to dozens of small-scale fishing vessels, and sustainable small-scale fisheries cannot compete with industrial supertrawlers.
“Supertrawlers are effectively floating factories and able to stay at sea for considerable periods of time. ‘Willem van der Zwan’ can process 250 tonnes of fish per day whilst at sea.
“Local, smaller fishing boats have to return to port to offload the fish prior to processing.”
