By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Jomo Campbell defended government’s efforts to rescue five dolphins from Blackbeard’s Cay.

The ministry was alerted to the situation on April 9 and rescued the animals last Friday.

He said the delay in rescuing the dolphins resulted from “vexatious litigation” and other logistical matters.

“We don’t have the luxury of responding and reacting out of emotion,” he said during a press conference yesterday.

“There had to be strategic steps and you know, some may have thought that those steps may have been too slow, but I can guarantee you we have five Atlantic bottlenose dolphins so we’re quite pleased that we took the time to ensure they’re safe.” 

The government helped rescue the animals last week after it was revealed that eight dolphins had died at the facility in recent years and the remaining five were at risk of suffering a similar fate.

Action to save the five surviving dolphins –– Fiona, Harry, Diamond, Justice and Pigeon –– appeared to hasten only after The Bahamas was subjected to damaging media coverage over the matter.

“On April 9, 2024, Ms Sam Duncombe, president of reEarth, met with me and ministry officials and informed of this matter,” Mr Campbell said.

“A site investigation was requested and conducted ten days later on 19 April, 2024, by the Department of Marine Resources. The results of that investigation were under active review, culminating in the government officially requesting assistance from Atlantis on May 8, 2024.” 

Pressed on the one-month delay, Mr Campbell said given history of the matter, which involves continuous legal dispute, the ministry was focused on taking a holistic approach. 

“You have to look at the tide, you have to look at the time of day, you have to look at the conditions the dolphins were in,” he said.

“People tend to think that dolphins are like a bottle of water where you can just pick them up and move them from point A to point B, but as I indicated earlier, these are mammals, they think and act just like us, they have their own minds and all of that had to be taken into consideration. Nobody knew what they would go into when they got there. 

“I’m quite certain that we can simply go there with a speedboat and some sheets and maybe some nets and just move them that same day, but who knows if they would have all been alive and improving as they are now.” 

Mr Campbell reported that the mammals are currently being housed at Atlantis Animal Care Facility under a 30-day quarantine process. He could not say where they were expected to go.

He said their blood work produced normal results but they are underweight, though confidence is high that their weight will increase.

Mr Campbell said he has presented to Cabinet an amended version of the Veterinarian Medical Act, which has not been updated since 1966.

“Once the Department of Law Reform and the Office of the Attorney General is completed with its finishing touches, we look forward with great pride to tabling that in the House of Assembly,” he said.

“So, it’s a mammoth task, but it is a strategic task that this ministry has been undertaking to move all aspects of the ministry towards a more modern platform.”