Concerns about speeding watercraft off the Dorset coast - including around dolphins in Weymouth Bay - prompted a 'day of action' on land and sea by police and other agencies.

Hundreds of people in the marine community were spoken to and many welcomed the increased presence due to concerns that a few users are making it dangerous for everyone else.

The key message was safety and the risk to life, in response to the growing number of complaints about speeding jet skiers and other watercraft.

As well as the important safety messages, police were also advising the marine community on the best ways to prevent the theft of watercraft. Dorset Police have recently recovered stolen jet skis which were being transported in a trailer.

Concerns over the safety of dolphins in Weymouth Bay were raised in May this year after a number of boats and jet skis were reportedly seen harassing them.

The following month there were claims that jet skis were again harassing dolphins in the area.

PC Claire Dinsdale, Dorset Police’s Deputy Lead for Wildlife Crime, along with officers from the Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority and Marine Management Organisation were also running their awareness campaign regarding illegal fishing and harm caused to marine wildlife as part of the operation.

PC Dinsdale explained: “It’s not just humans at risk from the reckless use of watercraft but our protected marine wildlife too. We’ve recently had incidents of jet skiers approaching a dolphin in Weymouth Bay and fatalities of wildlife in other areas.

“While we understand how exciting it is to see marine mammals visit these waters, we must not be tempted to get close or start to follow them. Intentional or reckless disturbance of whales, dolphins and the basking shark is a criminal offence, punishable by up to six months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.

“You may think your presence does them no harm, but this is far from the case. Getting too close can impact their feeding, sleeping and other crucial behaviours. Please stay at least 300m away, keep engines off, or keep to a max of six knots, do not follow or approach from behind or the front but enjoy from a distance.

“Another issue is people taking parts of washed up deceased marine mammals such as teeth. It is also illegal to possess or trade in such items. Deceased species are sent for post mortem as part of the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme so it is important people report but do not touch.

“I would ask the public to spread these messages and report any wildlife crime in progress to police on 999, including the disturbance of marine wildlife.”