Coffs Harbour Marine Conservation Park supports NSW Government ban on captive dolphin breeding

Following the move by the NSW Government to halt the breeding or importation of dolphins and other marine mammals, the Dolphin Marine Conservation Park in Coffs Harbour has expressed its support for the update to the state’s Biodiversity Conservation Act.

With the Dolphin Marine Conservation Park having actively participated in the Parliamentary Inquiry that resulted in this amendment, Park Managing Director, Terry Goodall advised of the support for the wording and intent of the amendment, stating “as an organisation we have publicly stated that we do not intend to breed dolphins (and) have not bred dolphins for many years.

“Dolphin Marine Conservation Park is opposed to the removal of Cetacea from the wild for the express purpose of exhibition and/or breeding. This has been law in Australia since 1999 so Australia leads the world in this respect.

“However, we will continue to rescue and rehabilitate stranded Cetacea and provide ongoing care if they are deemed unsuitable for release back to the wild. “

With Dolphin Marine Conservation Park having rescued thousands of marine and other wildlife over the past 50 years., Goodall added “we are committed to rescuing and caring for injured and sick marine life as much of the harm and stress inflicted on these animals in the wild is caused by humans and their disregard for the marine environment and its inhabitants.

“We hope this amendment does not create bureaucratic barriers to our important rescue, rehabilitation and conservation work.”

World Animal Protection along with NSW Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst have also welcomed the NSW Government’s move, adding that it puts pressure on the Queensland Government and Gold Coast marine and theme park Sea World - the only remaining dolphin park in Australia where dolphins are still bred in captivity.

Hurst stated “while NSW is working toward better protections for cetaceans in our state, Sea World on the Gold Coast continues breeding highly intelligent dolphins in artificial pools, so that they can make money from dolphin entertainment.

“Queensland is now the only state in Australia still breeding dolphins for entertainment and it’s becoming a global embarrassment.”

The NSW Government has also been asked to support a feasibility study to retire the remaining dolphins at the Dolphin Marine Conservation Park into a world-first sea sanctuary.

Hurst added “after so many years of allowing exploitation, it’s encouraging that NSW is listening to experts and the community, and finally catching up with the global movement to protect these animals.”

Images: The proposed sea sanctuary at Coffs Harbour than would house Dolphin Marine Conservation Park's dolphin (top) and Dolphin Marine Conservation Park dropped its Pet Porpoise Pool branding in 2015 (below),