Bottlenose dolphins have been regularly spotted along the Blackpool coastline since the Covid pandemic started.
Photograph: David Jefferson/Alamy
Dolphins face an increasing risk of disturbance from people taking to the sea on boats, jetskis, paddleboards and kayaks as lockdown eases, campaigners have warned.
Many people were not aware of the laws against disturbing dolphins, whales and porpoises – or that they risked fines for breaking them, said Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU).
Wildlife charities are calling for people spending time at the sea this spring and summer to give space to dolphins and other marine mammals they see, watching from a distance and not crowding them.