The 2008 Round Britain Offshore Powerboat Race, featuring boats capable of reaching 75mph, is due to visit Inverness between 25th and 27th June before racing off on the Edinburgh leg.

Described as the "Mount Everest" of all powerboat races, the 10-day race features celebrity contestants such as BBC Top Gear presenter James May and Nick Knowles of DIY SOS.

Discussions are currently on-going between the race organisers and environmental watchdog, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), over the potential impact to the world's most northerly resident population of bottlenose dolphins, which number up to 130, plus other marine animals such as whales and porpoises.

Although the race organisers have announced some mitigating measures, including moving the start point further out to sea, dolphin watchers remain concerned particularly over the potential risks in the Chanonry Point/Fort George narrows which is designated a special area of conservation to protect the bottlenose dolphins.

Alan Airey, of the Friends of Moray Firth Dolphins, queried why the race was passing through the Inner Moray Firth. "I am not calling for the race to be cancelled — rather that it should not have been planned in the first place because I do not think that powerboat racing is compatible in an area where we know protected dolphins live," he said.

He pointed out that last week Chanonry Point was the focus of the BBC TV's Springwatch programme which highlighted the daily noise disturbance to which dolphins are subjected. "It is not just the noise disturbance that worries me, actually physical bodily harm and possibly death could be caused to some of the dolphins which at this time of year are feeding and nursing young calves in this area," he said.

Dolphins bow ride a cargo ship as it passes between Chanonry Point and Fort George.

Mr Airey was trying to establish the exact position of the start line as bottlenose dolphins could be encountered elsewhere along the Moray and Aberdeenshire coasts.

Ben Leyshon, SNH's East Highland area officer, confirmed talks were on-going with the race organisers.

"We are looking at ways to avoid as far as possible any problems such as travelling at slow speeds in the really critical areas such as the Chanonry narrows and having the race started further out to sea," he said.

"We are quite keen to have safety boats in the water and to have trained marine mammal observers on board — if there are any dolphins ahead, the race boats will have to slow right down and the race will not be allowed to start unless they get the all clear."

Ray Bulman, the race press officer, said the race had been moved 10 miles out to sea while the speed of the boats would remain below 20 knots as they were led to the start point.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---