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There has been speculation in the media and elsewhere that the distressing spate of mutilated seals washed up on beaches at Blakeney may be linked to passage of boats travelling between the Sheringham Shoal Wind Farm and Wells Harbour. WHC share the public concern over the damage to the seals and we have made our own enquiries to establish the relevant facts as best we can. We wish to comment on the mistaken assumptions that have been made:
1) Timing – These seals began to be found in December 2009 but the fast supply boats using Wells to service the Wind Farm did not start operating from Wells until April 2010. It is therefore entirely wrong to assume that the works to create the new Outer Harbour in Wells are coincident with these seal deaths. Offshore construction at the Sheringham Shoal did not start until mid March. An anonymous person speculated in the Sunday times “Work at Wells Harbour started in December and might explain why seals were being killed over the winter”. The facts do not support this.
2) Geography – People living outside the area may be confused into thinking that the dredger operating in Wells Harbour could be linked to these deaths. In fact the seals appear to be being killed off the seal colony at Blakeney which is seven miles east and not on the same estuary as Wells Harbour. Our dredger has one large propeller which is kept clear of the water most of the time except for moving the dredger a few 100 metres at high tide, at a speed of a few knots and does not leave Wells Harbour. If seals were injured by this we would have seen blood and remains in the water, and this has not happened. We have spoken to Norfolk Police who we understand have eliminated the dredger from their enquiries.
3) Ducted Propellors – while it may be possible to imagine that, the injuries seen on the seals could be caused by the sort of propellers used on fast planing fishing boats or supply boats, we would point out that such boats have operated from Wells for many years with no such problems reported. These boats are very noisy in operation, both above and below the water, and seals would be well aware of any such vessel approaching.
WHC is not responsible for the operation of supply boats or the Wind Farm construction which lays with SCIRA and it’s sub-contractors.
WHC offers their continuing cooperation in every way possible with the investigations by the Police and researchers in following all lines of enquiry to uncover the cause of these alarming deaths.
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