CORNISH
MARINE WILDLIFE REPORTS 1995
Reports received of Marine Creatures sighted, stranded or landed during
1995
A list compiled by Raymond Dennis
2/1/95 4 dolphins, believed to be Bottlenose, approx. 8ft long were seen
making their way eastwards pass Porthcurno SW388216 at about 3.p.m.
and again about an hour later going in the opposite direction
11/1/95 An otter was seen from Penzance Promenade about 50 yds offshore
swimming towards the Jubillee Pool at about noon. It dived and was not
seen again.
12/1/95 A dead Trigger Fish was found washed up at Harlyn Bay SW8775
together with a large number of small jellyfish which were identified as Pelagia
noctiluca
22/1/95 A Humpback Whale was observed for
about one hourfeeding on Mackerel off the Eddystone Lighthouse.
8/2/95 A small pod, 6 or 7, Bottlenose Dolphin were seen moving across
St. Ives Bay off Carbis Bay SW528389.
12/2/95 A small pod of Bottlenose Dolphin was seen in Mount's Bay.
1/3/95 Radio Cornwall reported that fishermen had found a rare tiny
Atlantic Seahorse off the Dorset coast. It was reported to be even rarer
than the Short Nosed Seahorse, Hippocampus hippocampus found there in 1993.
8/3/95 B.B.C. West Country Spotlight T.V. reported that a small
Loggerhead Turtle was found washed up alive on a Jersey Beach yesterday
by a young lad. It is being cared for by the boy and his father for
possible return to the Caribbean.
17/3/95 B.B.C. Spotlight T.V. reported
that a North American Lobster was brought up in a pot with a European Lobster
30 miles south of the Isle of Wight by a south Devon boat. It is a berried
female and was taken to the Marine Biological Association at Plymouth where
it has been put into quarantine until the eggs are hatched and will be
put on view to the public in their Aquarium later. The claws are a different
shape and reddish on the underside and the rostrum is rather longer than
on the European Lobster.
19/3/95 Three Porpoises were seen from Cape Cornwall SW3431. These
are the first reported sightings of porpoises for this year to the Cornwall
Wildlife Trust Dolphin Group.
21/3/95 Two Bottlenose Dolphins were seen off Lamorna SW4523 during
the morning. They were about 6 ft long.
29/3/95 A small pod of large Bottlenose Dolphins were seen just outside
the Albert pier Penzance during the Day.
6/4/95 A Basking Shark was seen in Coverack Harbour for a short while
today.
7/4/95 The Bottlenose Dolphins are being seen in larger pods
again. During March 20 or more were seen off The ManaclesSW8120 and more
recently more than 30 in Mount's Bay. Most days of the first week of April
a pod of 20 to 30 Bottlenose Dolphins have been seen between Black head
and Lowland Point ( Coverack area) and a pod of about 30 were seen off
Mousehole. Most of the sightings have come from fisherman so the dolphins
seem to be keeping further offshore.
7/4/95 It was reported on Late Night Western T.V. that dolphins have
been seen today off Porthcurno and Falmouth. There appeared to be up to
a dozen on the T.V. pictures.
9/4/95 As the first full rehearsal of the Easter Production at The
Minack Open Air Theatre on the cliffs at Porthcurno came to an end a school
of dolphins came leaping in a spectacular Balletic display across the bay
below.
11/4/95 B.B.C. Spotlight S.W. T.V. reported that Basking Sharks
were seen off North Cornwall today. Numbers or sizes were not mentioned.
27/4/95 20 to 30 Bottlenose Dolphins were seen off Morvah making their
way toward Land's End during the day.
28/4/95 Radio Cornwall reported 20 to 30 dolphins off Falmouth today.
4/5/95 5 Basking Sharks were seen between Penzance Harbour and Low
Lee during the morning and two more were seen from the same boat when off
Tater-du SW440230 a little later. Another was seen off Praa Sands
SW5729 later in the morning. A Basking Shark was also seen off St.
Michael's Mount at 1830 and again at 2000 from a different boat, but this
could be the same shark reported off Praa Sands earlier in the day. It
was described as being about 5 or 6 metres long.
5/5/95 Three Basking were observed to surface near the Gear Pole Mount's
Bay as MV. Scillonian III was leaving Penzance Harbour and the sharks moved
rapidly away from the ship in a westerly direction leaving discernible
wakes behind their fins in the calm sea. They disappeared below the surface
as soon as the ship had left the area.
6/5/95 A diving boat crew moving from Penzance toward Land's End reported
seeing Basking Sharks and Bottlenose Dolphins along the south coast of
Penwith. The first Basking Shark was near Low Lee SW481272, the second
between Lamorna and The Bucks Rocks SW449229, the third just off Tater-du
SW440225 and a forth off Gwennap Head SW366210. The Bottlenose Dolphins
were in Porth Chapel Bay SW382216 and thought to be 6 animals. There was
another inflatable boat and divers with the dolphins.
6/5/95 Three Rhizostoma pulmo
Jellyfish were seen during a dive off Tater-du SW440225.
6/5/95 A Penzance based boat owner reported seeing 11 Basking Sharks
near Low Lee Mount's Bay SW481272, two more near Tater-du SW440225 and
two more near Porthcurno SW390220.
6/5/95 Members of a visiting diving club while diving near Logan Rock
SW398217 reported seeing 20 Basking Sharks and a 5ft Leatherback Turtle.
6/5/95 4 Basking Sharks were seen during thew afternoon in Penberth
Cove SW404226, said to be 5 to 6 metres long. A little further out to sea
was a pod of about 10 Bottlenose Dolphins.
13/5/95 A Basking Shark was seen off Hore Point west of Looe SX240508.
Estimated size was 6 metres.
22/5/95 Two dolphins, thought to be Bottlenose, were seen during the
afternoon in Mount's Bay.
23/5/95 Two Basking Sharks, about 4 to 5 metres long were seen feeding
off the Minack Cliff Theatre Sw388219 during the morning.
23/5/95 A male Lumpsucker or Sea Hen Cyclopterus lumpus
has been videoed by a diver protecting and aerating the eggs of its mate
on the Low Lee Reef Mount's Bay SW481273
31/5/95 A small Basking Shark was seen 300 yds off St. Clement's Island
Mousehole SW477260 at 1800, size about 3 metres long. It's head was moving
slowly from side to side as when feeding but the dorsal fin was not seen
above the water, which was calm and clear.
1/6/95 A large Bottlenose Dolphin was seen off Porthminster Point SW527400
at 1400hrs. It was about 10ft long.
3/6/95 A small pod of dolphins were observed at 1400 keeping pace with
the Cork to Swansea Ferry, no more than three could be seen at any one
time, and they were thought to be Common Dolphins.
4/6/95 A Basking Shark was seen feeding off the Bucks Rocks SW444226,
during the evening at about 1930hrs. It was about 15ft long.
4/6/95 A Leatherback Turtle found caught in nets 7 miles south of Newlyn,
in position approx SW480178 was released alive. It was described as being
as big as a dining-room table-top. Possibly the same turtle that was seen
off Logan Rock, which is 6 miles Nw of this position, on May 6th.
6/6/95 Two adult and one juvenile Bottlenose Dolphins were seen during
the evening moving across the bay just off St.Ives SW523405.
6/6/95 5 Basking Sharks were seen feeding off the south Penwith
coast during the afternoon. One was off Porthcurno SW390218, and
the other four were near Seghy Rock, near Logan Rock SW400220. The sharks
were all about 4 metres long.
1/8/95 A woman was taken to West Cornwall Hospital by Air Ambulance
in a very distressed condition from Porth Chapel Beach SW387218 after being
stung by a Great Weever Fish, Trachinus draco.
9/8/95 A large Leatherback Turtle (about 6ft long) was seen near The
Gear Pole SW479293 in Mount's Bayat about 1600hrs. It had been seen further
out in the bay the day before.
11/8/95 Many Jellyfish were seen off Battery Rocks SW478297 from the
Jubillee Pool wall at about 1700hrs, described as being brownish and about
8" diameter they were probably Compass JellyfishChrysaora
hysoscella.
14/8/95 An Angler, Michael Prisk, at Lamorna caught a Spanish Mackerel,
Scomber japonicus, of 1-5-8 and ten minutes later his friend
angling beside him caught another 1-5-9. These are potential British records
and have been submitted to the Marine Biological association Plymouth for
ratification.
21/8/95 A large Leatherback Turtle was seen near Low Lee Reef Mount's
Bay SW481273 at about midday.
22/8/95 A large Leatherback Turtle was seen off Logan Rock SW398217
during the afternoon. This may be the same animal as previously reported.
23/8/95 Three Sunfish were seen in the Runnelstone Area SW370201 during
the day and three others were seen at various placesalong the coast between
Mousehole and Porthcurno during the week. These were basking on the surface,
and one near the Runnelstone appeared to be asleep for when it bumped into
the ladder of the stationary dive boat it awoke with a start and made off
quickly.
24/8/95 The "Cornishman" newspaper reported today that a shark caught
by an angler, John Lambourn near Lamorna SW452239 earlier this month had
the remains of a racing pigeon in it's stomach. Rings on the birds legs
revealed that it was a three year old bird from Holland.
26/8/95 Three dolphins, thought to be Bottlenose, were seen proceeding
from St.Clement's Island Mousehole SW474262 towards Lamorna Cove SW452239
during the morning, 2 of the dolphins were about 9ft long the other about
6ft.
31/8/95 In the "West Briton" newspaper this week was a picture of a
seal pup which had recovered from horrific injuries. As a tiny pup it had
become entangled in monofilament net and had worked it back around the
middle of its body. As it grew it was almost cut in half by the net. The
13 week old pup was found near Godrevy SW578431 in February and taken to
the Gweek Seal Sanctuary where it was nursed back to health. He is due
to be released back into the sea next month but will always have his large
circular scar around his body.
3/9/95 There was a radio news report today of a Sailfin
Dory Zenopsis conchifer being caught off the south coast.
This fish is a poor swimmer and normally lives off the west coast of Africa.
14/9/95 A report in the "West Briton" newspaper today read "Monster
Sighted. Legendary Cornish sea monster Morgawr has been spotted again -
this time heading toward Falmouth. A 20ft creature was seen 60yds off Rosemullion
Head this week by Gertrude Stevens of Golden bank, Falmouth. The
last sighting was in 1992 in the Helford" This was probably a Basking
Shark.
23/9/95 Six Bottlenose Dolphins were seen in Carbis Bay SW530395.
13/10/95 A pod of about15 Bottlenose Dolphins were seen off Penberth
SW403227.
14/10/95 A pod of about 15 Bottlenose Dolphins were seen off Mussel
Point near Treveal SW463404.
26/10/95 A report in today's "Truro Packet" stated that a 7 month old
female Hooded Seal Cystophora
cristata was found stranded on Treyarnon Cove Beach near Padstow SW857740
last week. This is the first sighting of this species in British waters
for a decade and previous sightings have all been in northern areas. Their
normal home is around Iceland, Greenland and Northern |Canada so this young
one has strayed 2000 miles from home. It was taken to the Seal Sanctuary
to build up its strength, where it was found to be more aggressive than
Common or Grey Seals. They hope to release it much nearer to home at an
early date.
28/10/95 A pod of approximately 20 Bottlenose Dolphins were seen moving
about in St.Ives Bay during the day and again on the following day Sunday
29th Oct.
2/11/95 Between 20 and 30 Bottlenose Dolphins were seen during the
afternoon off Land's End SW340250.
5/11/95 A small pod of about 8 Bottlenose Dolphins were seen close
inshore off carn Scathe near Porthgwarra, SW373215 during the afternoon.
23/11/95 A report in today's "West Briton" newspaper said that a school
of dolphins were watched for nearly an hour close inshore off Penhale Sands
SW7559 during the afternoon.
20/12/95 It was reported on "Spotlight South West" TV today that
a Grey Seal pup washed upon a north Devon beach recently was in a very
poor condition from contamination with oil sludge. The R.S.P.C.A. considered
it to be one of the worse cases of oil contamination ever seen. The pup
was taken to the Gweek Seal Sanctuary and it is expected eventually to
make a full recovery when it will be released again from the north Devon
coast.
24/12/95 During the week before Christmas Bottlenose Dolphins were
playing around and under the Pilot Boat and Barge plying between St.Ives
and Hayle and were clearly seen on the Echo-Sounder Screen aboard the Pilot
Boat.
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