Codes of Conducts
Recommended codes to follow to minimise disturbance to our cetaceans and basking sharks
Watching our wildlife at sea
Encountering a whale, dolphin, porpoise or basking shark at sea can be a magical experience.
The Isle of Man is a fantastic place to observe whales, dolphins, porpoises, and basking sharks in our close coastal waters. Watching from a boat can allow excellent close interactions provided the animals are treated with respect and not disturbed.
Remember, all whales, dolphins, porpoises, and basking sharks are legally protected species under the Wildlife Act and cannot be recklessly disturbed or injured.
If you fancy a spotting day out on the water then there are a few hints and tips to consider to protect our local wildlife:
- Take a notebook – note time, location, species, number, what they are doing and direction of travel. If you are unsure of anything, take notes and drop us an email
- Watch for disturbance – white water and splashes can be caused by animals travelling or feeding
- Look for bird activity, especially diving gannets, as this may indicate the presence of prey – get your binoculars on the area and spend a good while looking
- Choose a nice calm day, choppy seas make animals difficult to spot even if they are present
- Use a good pair of binoculars if you have them
- Any water vessel, with or without a motor, can cause disturbance
- Maintain a steady speed, rapid changes can cause the animals to be unsure
- Maintain a consistent course, erratic changes makes it harder for animals to understand your movements
- Maintain a no wake speed in proximity to animals, if you are not producing a wake you are travelling at a sensible steady speed with a reduced chance of unexpectedly getting too close to animals
Cetaceans at sea
A few simple guidelines can help you enjoy an encounter with cetaceans at sea
It is recommended not to approach animals within 100m unless they choose to approach you
It is recommended not to spend longer than 15 minutes around animals unless they choose to stay with you
It is recommended not to approach animals from directly ahead or behind, but to approach from the side on a parallel course
Moonlight & Starlight
Our resident dolphins Moonlight & Starlight spend all their time in Manx waters under our protection
If you happen to be swimming when Moonlight and Starlight are present you should remain calm and do not attempt to touch them
If you are not already in the water, do not enter and attempt to swim with them
Remain calm and do not crowd the dolphins as a group, never try to touch them with your paddle
As with our general cetacean guidance, reduce your speed and maintain a steady speed and course
Moonlight and Starlight are very inquisitive of boats and if you do not move erratically you will increase your chance of them coming closer to your boat
Basking sharks
The Shark Trust have guidelines for encountering basking sharks in different scenarios at sea
If you happen to be swimming when sharks are present you should remain calm and do not attempt to touch them, their skin is very rough like sandpaper
A shark that is disturbed may dive suddenly, thrashing its powerful tail and could injure you or the shark
Remain calm and do not crowd the sharks as a group, never try to touch them with your paddle
A shark that is disturbed may dive suddenly, thrashing its powerful tail and could injure you or the shark
As with our general cetacean guidance, reduce your speed and maintain a steady speed and course without getting closer than 100m
It is very important to remember sharks can spend all their time just below the surface. If there are sharks in the area be alert as there could be more underwater that you can’t see but could hit with your boat
A shark that is disturbed may dive suddenly, thrashing its powerful tail and could injure you or the shark
Seals in water
Manx Wildlife Trust have created guidelines when encountering seals in the water
Try and keep a good distance away, seals are very inquisitive and will likely come closer to you on their own terms
Never try to touch or feed a seal, they have very sharp teeth and can cause serious infections
Try to keep your speed to 5 knots within 100m of seals
Seals resting on land can be startled back in to the water by a vessel passing too fast or close
Seals on land
Manx Wildlife Trust have created guidelines when encountering seals on land
Observe from a distance of at least 50m
Whenever you can use binoculars and zoom lenses for a better view
Never try to touch or feed a seal, they have very sharp teeth and can cause serious infections
Keep dogs well away
Seals which raise their heads to look at you have been disturbed and this may indicate you are too close
Never get between a seal and its access to the water, this can make them feel trapped and threatened
Do no assume a seal on land is sick, and do not attempt to ‘herd’ a seal back in to the water
It is perfectly natural for seals to rest on land, and they do so every tidal cycle. They will often exit the water at high tide so can appear a long way from the waters edge by low tide
Do no assume a seal on land is sick, and do not attempt to ‘herd’ a seal back in to the water
If a seal is disturbed into the water during its resting phase it will be unlikely to return to land in that tidal cycle and therefore miss out on vital rest
Wildlife code
Manx Wildlife Trust have general guidelines for encountering our coastal wildlife covering the points made above
Be aware of ground nesting coastal birds and try not to get too close, keep dogs on the lead in nesting season
Caution is needed as they can be well camouflaged
Nesting occurs between 1 April and 31 July and parents startled off the nest will leave the eggs or chicks at risk
Report a Sighting
Make sure to report your sighting of a whale, dolphin, porpoise, or basking shark to us