(Gibraltar Chronicle) Following our item Dolphinarium, yes or no?, Europa Point Marine Village Limited is defending its proposals for a dolphinarium at Rosia Bay despite severe criticism from local animal welfare and environmental groups such as GONHS.
The application has yet to go before the Government for planning permission but the business team behind the project insist that their critics are wrong. Government recently told parliament that it will not allow dolphins caught in the wild to be kept in captivity in Gibraltar, a statement the PDP described as ‘wishy-washy’ whilst also saying that neither of the elected parties had made their position clear on the project.>
The company behind the project has also accused GONHS and Eric Shaw or being ‘irresponsible’ in their comments on the project which is widely rejected by local lobby groups. GONHS was accused by the company of seeking to “spin fear” particularly to children.
“GONHS are advisors to the Gibraltar Government and should act responsibly in their position,” said the company.
And in claims it was not able to substantiate to this newspaper the company claimed the local campaign against the dolphinarium is “to protect local private commercial interests and this campaign is not in the interest of Gibraltar.”
Meanwhile, in a bid to highlight what they feel are the advantages of the project the company issued a statement which emphasised that the project would produce unobstructed and free access to improved Sea Angling facilities to the seaward side of a reconstructed and improved mole/breakwater, which will include seating, toilet facilities, steps/ramps into the water and waste bins.
“The Bay itself will remain fully tidal and the mouth section only will have suspended netting below floats to protect the Dolphins and Sea Lions. The live animals will have the safety and benefit of the entire Bay area, which extends to approximately 10,000 square metres of water surface,” said the statement adding that located outside of the floats and netting will be a floating boom to protect the Bay from potential pollution.
“A Seating Gallery will be constructed on the Mole with inward views of the Bay, with the dramatic backdrop of the Rock with those views foreshortened by the main Historic Wall to the eastern side of the Bay. The visual and historic integrity of Rosia Bay will be maintained.
The Nelson Museum will have a virtual reality/interaction battle programme and visitors will be able to “re-live” the battle.”
The cost of the development is estimated at £18.7 million and would take approximately 12 months to complete.
“It is intended that our dolphins join us here in Gibraltar several months before being fully operational to acclimatize and to become familiar with their new surroundings under the strict supervision of their carers and veterinary surgeon and local people interested in becoming familiar with the dolphins will be able to make friends with them at specially arranged times,” said a spokesman who said that the company and is consultants have had “considerable experience in achieving projects in the leisure industry and facilities with live animals and are certain that in connection with tourism the project will attract new visitors to Gibraltar, which will substantially benefit the local economy”.
The company argues that at a local level the project will be very popular with visitors and holidaymakers from the Costa del Sol, the Costa de la Luz, cruise ships and by air transport.
“Additional potential benefits to residents of Gibraltar will be significant in terms of Visitor concessions and employment opportunities. It is considered that the necessary number of direct employees to include senior specialist staffing and casual/part-time employees will be in the region of 320 persons. Furthermore, indirect employment based on the expected increase in Tourist visitors could be substantial,” claimed the company.
“With the exception of approximately 20 expert staff, qualified in the care, maintenance and training of the animals to include a veterinary surgeon, as many local people as possible will be employed,” he said.
The company, which says it is passionately committed to the care and welfare of the live animals both in management and in the wild, also said that there is no intention either now or in the future of capturing or using local dolphins whatsoever within their proposals.
“We are aware that there has been recent publicity extending to local newspapers, Gibraltar television and the Internet in connection with the care and welfare of the live animals and their proposed management in Rosia Bay,” said the company describing itself and its consultants as “experienced Marine Mammal Facility designers and operators. Under the authority of the United States National Marine Fisheries Service, EPMVL Team Members have been involved in stranding programs at SeaWorld Incorporated, Harbor Beach Oceanographic Institute, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Network (spanning the U.S. eastern seaboard from the Carolinas to Corpus Cristi, Texas), Marineland Stranding Program, St Augustine, Florida, Marine Mammal Rescue Foundation, Florida and the Marine Mammal Conservancy, Florida for over thirty years.”
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