CONSERVATION ISSUES - SEPTEMBER 2006
 

The first Ocean Sunfish reported this year appeared on June 6th, and there have been another 57 reports since that date. It is well known that they bask on the surface, probably why they are called Sunfish, however they are not there for sunbathing, but to be cleaned of their parasites by seabirds, for they are usually covered in parasites of one sort or another, sometimes a little worm like creature, or like the ones we have examined, by a miniature crab-like creature called Lepeophtheirus nordmanni, just a few millimetres across. Earlier this year I was sent a very good picture of a Sunfish by  Reuben Slater who dives off the north Cornwall Coast and regularly sends me his sightings. His photo shows a very clean looking Sunfish, free of parasites except for a few in front of the anal fin, and clearly shows that its pectoral fin is missing. It made me suspect that this fish had been caught in a net, and struggled free, losing its fin in the process, but also cleaning itself of most of it’s parasites.

There were 9 reported sightings of Bottlenose Dolphins during August. 8 were of the same pod along the north coast between the Camel Estuary and St Ives. The other report was of 2 near Wolf Rock. One other dolphin report was probably the same Bottlenose pod and another report of 6 dolphins near Rame Head. Two reports of Common Dolphins were on the same day, 30 off Coverack and 6 off Pendeen. 22 of 24 Basking Sharks reports were all around Penwith. The others were, 1 off Pepper Hole and 1 off Rame Head. 13 of 15 reports of Ocean Sunfish,  were on the north coast from Camel Estuary to Pendeen, and 2 reports were  off Porthgwarra. The largest numbers seen together were 6 off Pendeen.

Harbour Porpoise were reported 7 times and these were, as usual, all around West Penwith from Godrevy to Porthgwarra. 2 reports of Compass Jellyfish were from Porth Kidney where only one was seen floating off the beach, and the other was of hundreds floating just off the beach at Perranporth.

Other creatures that stranded alive during the month were Buoy Barnacles, these are similar to Goose Barnacles, but unlike them, they do not attach to large floating objects like logs or tree trunks. The young ones attach to small objects like twigs or feathers in groups of 2 to 8, and as they grow they secrete a white buoyant float resembling polystyrene. After a period of north westerly wind, they were found stranded along the north coast from Scillies to St Ives. I was sent this very good picture of some found among hundreds at St. Ives by Shelly Baldam on holiday from the Bristol area.  

I have not received the list of other strandings during August.   

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