What action is being taken to ensure the continued survival and health of the colony of bottle nosed dolphins in the Moray Firth.

The Moray Firth has been proposed to the European Commission as a candidate Special Area of Conservation for the dolphins. As part of that exercise a management scheme is under preparation by the Moray Firth Partnership to ensure that the conditions for a healthy population are maintained. Guidelines have been issued to minimise disturbance from dolphin-watching operations.In addition, Scottish Natural Heritage have been working with the oil industry to ensure that the impact of oil drilling in the area on the dolphins is minimised. Guidelines for dealing with cetaceans in the event of an oil spill have been produced. These issues and those of site monitoring will be taken forward in the SAC Management Scheme.