Projects

Protecting the Dart's Seals from Disturbance

A seal relaxing on a pontoon in the Dart

© DEEM

Grey seals are popular and frequently sighted visitors to the estuary. They can be seen fishing or resting throughout the whole of the tidal estuary, as far as Totnes when the tide is high. Their presence in the estuary is due to a site at the Mew Stone (Eastern approach to the harbour) which forms an important function in the life cycle of the seals where they haul out, rest or play their mating rituals.

This well known seal site at the Mew Stone is an attraction to tripper boats and private craft alike. Driven by a desire to see the animals 'up close and personal', there was a danger that the human curiosity was leading to disturbance which might drive the seals out of the area altogether. Seals are a highly mobile species but Dartmouth is the geographical limit of their ventures into the English Channel.

In 2000, Dart Estuary Environmental Management (DEEM) commissioned Stephen Westcott, a national authority on seal behaviour, to study and measure the impact of human disturbance on the seals. The study not only quantified the problem, but it brought the issue out into the open. It looked at the activities of boat owners, both commercial and private, and highlighted the potential impact of uninformed or reckless interference with the seals. A code of conduct was developed and now the River Dart continues to enjoy the presence of the seals, a sure indicator of a river with healthy fish stocks.

(DEEM) asked Stephen to conduct a follow up study last summer (2006) to monitor disturbance and to review the recommendations made after the initial survey. You can read his 2006 follow up report which can be downloaded from this web page.

The study was undertaken in collaboration with English Nature (now Natural England), The University of Bournemouth and Earthwatch and with funds provides by DEEM and English Nature.