Calm for the harbour porpoises

The German Motor Yacht Association (DMYV) is campaigning for the protection of harbour porpoises

The aim of the project is to raise awareness of the harbour porpoise, the only cetacean that lives permanently in German waters. As the DMYV announced in a press release, recreational skippers should actively contribute to the protection of the animals and their habitats. Detailed underwater noise measurements have now been carried out with recreational shipping in the North Sea. The noise measurements were carried out as part of the BUND project "Quiet for the harbour porpoises", which is funded by the Lower Saxony Bingo Environmental Foundation and the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea Foundation.

Members of the Sail-Lollipopp Regatta Club from Hooksiel supported the project with their boats and travelled the measuring route at different speeds. (Photo: DMYV/ C. Schneider)

The harbour porpoise, which is classified as a critically endangered species on the Red List in Germany and is up to approx. 160 cm long, orientates itself in the water mainly by acoustic localisation. At high noise levels, harbour porpoises stop feeding. Extensive measurements were carried out in June in the Wadden Sea off Horumersiel in Lower Saxony to record the noise emissions from pleasure craft more precisely.

The DMYV is committed to active environmental protection

The DMYV rejects being pilloried across the board as motorboat drivers. According to Helmut von Veen, recreational boaters are not environmental offenders. The evaluation of the measurements and the resulting recommendations for recreational boaters will be presented at the end of July.

See more at www.dmyv.de