CORNISH
MARINE WILDLIFE REPORTS 1993
Reports received of Marine Creatures sighted, stranded or landed during
1993
A list compiled by Raymond Dennis
23/2/93 An adult Common Dolphin carcass was found
washed up onto Porth Leddin Beach, Cape Cornwall. Pectoral fin missing,
many old scars on body, but none looked like net damage. Body torn open
near genitals and intestines spewing out. Starting to decompose
17/4/93 A pod of Bottlenose Dolphins were observed playing around a
small boat with two persons aboard off Chyandour, Penzance, during the
late morning, the boat was seen to move away but was followed at first
by a few of the dolphins but they soon turned away and joined the pod.
22/4/93 A Basking Shark 18 to 20 ft long was seen at 0800 off the west
side of St. Clements Island, Mousehole.
9/5/93 Basking Shark seen off Sennen, 18 to 20ft long about midday.
No other information
9/5/93 Bottlenose Dolphins , a pod about 25 - 30 were seen at Sennen
moving through the Tribbens, the gap between the harbour wall and the Cowloe
Rocks in the early afternoon.
12/5/93 A Basking Shark 18 to 20ft long was seen at 1500 off Tregiffian,
close inshore between Tater-du and Boscawen Point SW436230 Calm Sea. Feeding,
stayed in the area for at least an hour .Very tall dorsal fin with many
scar marks.
27/5/93 A Basking Shark was seen off Tater-du from fast moving inflatable
dive boat at about 1130. Estimated size 8 to 9 ft. Not more than 12ft.
27/5/93 A pod of Bottlenose Dolphins were seen of Carn Kenidjack SW476259
from about 1230 to 1300. There were between 20 and 30 animals in the pod,
all large, no juveniles, they were playing and jumping clear of the water.
27/5/93 A Sunfish was seen off St. Clements Island, Mousehole
SW476259 at about 1600 hrs. Size approx. 18" across
1/6/93 Three Basking Sharks were seen off Land's End by divers in passing
boat about midday. Largest of three was over 20ft. Moving slowly, probably
feeding . SW315235
4/6/93 A pod of dolphin, believed to be Bottlenose was seen moving
at speed eastward off the headlands pass Fistral beach Newquay, at 10 a.m.
Seven could be seen at any one time. A similar sized pod was seen to move
rapidly westward at 4.p.m.
7/6/93 A Basking Shark was seen off Penzance Harbour in the early evening
swimming slowly. SW485298.
7/6/93 20 to 30 Bottlenose Dolphin followed a dive boat from Gurnards
Head to off Pendeen during the late afternoon.
8/6/93 A Basking Shark was seen off Cudden Point SW555255 in the early
evening, swimming slowly.
8/6/93 Report from Trinity House Vessel 'Mermaid', whilst servicing
of Channel Light Vessel in the early evening two Basking Sharks were seen,
size not reported, also two unidentified dolphins.
9/6/93 A large pod of Bottlenose Dolphins were seen from shore off
Hayle Towans among surfers. It was reported that some of the surfers were
sat on their boards stroking the dolphins.
17/6/93 A whale, possibly a Humpback, was seen off Tater-du SW440225.
Reported as being grey in appearance, not black, and at least 20ft long,
could have been much longer as only the back was seen. The dorsal fin seemed
to be double humped and very small for the whales size. Looked as if it
had been cut off or damaged. The water was clear and there appeared to
be a whitish or light coloured area under the chin.
17/6/93 Many Rhizostoma pulmo Jellyfish reported off the
coast from Mousehole to Porthcurno.
24/6/93 A pod of 50 to 60 Bottlenose Dolphin spent most of the early
evening in Mounts Bay off Eastern Green and Penzance. They followed a sailing
boat from Penzance Harbour to Marazion and back, then moved off southwest.
There were many juveniles in the pod.
24/6/93 A large pod of Bottlenose Dolphin were seen off Sennen during
the morning. (Probably same pod as above)
24/6/93 A large pod of Bottlenose Dolphin, including many juveniles,
were seen proceeding rapidly eastwards off St. Loy in the early afternoon.
(Probably the same pod as above)
8/7/93 Two Basking Sharks were reported to have been landed at Newlyn
Fish Market this week.
13/7/93 Two Mako Sharks were landed at Newlyn Market. They were caught
well out in the Atlantic by the Newlyn based M.F.V. Sowenna. They were
bought by a local fishmonger 'Smarts Prime Fish' The largest Mako
was 17 Stone (238 lb) the other 40 lb lighter
15/7/93 Report from local fishermen this week that very large catches
of Tuna were landed at Newlyn Market by 4 boats. The Tuna were all about
2ft long ( Long-fin Tunny) It was also reported that one of the boats lost
a trawl when it was unable to haul aboard the catch due to its weight.
Two Mako Sharks were also seen at the market.
21/7/93 At 8.30a.m. a single Bottlenose Dolphin was seen performing
what appeared to be forward rolls along the surface proceeding northward
into Gwavas Lake a few hundred yards off Newlyn Lighthouse Pier, then about
a dozen more dolphins surfaced a little further out and then all disappeared
below the surface and were not seen again.
13/8/93 13 Swordfish (including 3 very large specimens of " 2 Metre
+) were landed at Newlyn Market early in the morning. The catch included
mainly Long-Fin Tunny, Black Bream, Coal Fish, Small Blue Shark and 2 Mako
Shark. The fishing vessel was M.F.V. Sowenna PZ 14 whos crew members also
made the following observations:-
At 47º 09'N 14º 57'W 2 Truncated
Sunfish (Ranzania laevis)
At 46º 25'N 16º 18'W 1 Sunfish (Mola
mola )
At 45º 57/N 16º 52'W 3 Truncated Sunfish (Ranzania laevis)
1 Pilot fish (Naucrates ductor)
Cable drum drifting with 100 +
Wreckfish and 60- 80 Trigger Fish below
At 46º 07'N 16º 45ºW 2 Truncated Sunfish (Ranzania
laevis)
At 46º 28'N 15º 35'W 1 Turtle. Length of Shell approx 40cm
(fits description of Hawksbill)
28/8/93 A 10ft Basking Shark was seen between St. Michael's Mount and
the mainland at high tide about 4.p.m. SW516303. There was
a sailboat race in the area at the time.
31/8/93 A pod of about a dozen Bottlenose Dolphin were jumping around
outside Penzance Harbour mouth at about 9.a.m. The M.V. Scillonian left
at 9.15.a.m. and it is thought that the dolphins followed her out as they
were not seen again afterwards.
11/9/93 5 Bottlenose Dolphins were seen swimming off the bar at Hayle
about 11.30 a.m. Divers entered the water, saw the dolphins underwater
but the dolphins moved quickly away
16/9/93 2 unidentified dolphins were swimming alongside a sailing boat
proceeding from Falmouth to the Isles of Scilly at 3.a.m. for about half an
hour.
26/9/93 A single dolphin, believed to be a Bottlenose, was seen from
a passing dive boat at about 11a.m. off Porth Chapel SW383215
27/9/93 5 or 6 dolphins, believed to be Bottlenose, were observed from
the Marazion road between the old station and Marazion at 9.a.m. They were
jumping clear of the water about 25yds from the beach.
22/10/93 8 to 12 dolphins, believed to be Bottlenose, were seen off
Penzance harbour at 10a.m. having moved across the bay from the Mousehole
area.
14/12/93 A maximum of 6 Bottlenose dolphins were seen proceeding eastward
off Wicca SW463397 about 11.a.m. They only surfaced about 5 or 6 times
to breathe and then were not seen again.
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1989
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1990
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1991
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1992
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1994
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1995
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1996
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1997
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1998
Cornish
Marine Life Records (Ray Dennis) 1999
Vince
Smith's One-List/Cornish Wildlife
Seaquest
SW (Cornwall Wildlife Trust web pages)
BMLSS Pages: