Reports have been received today, 1 October, from Anguilla that Dolphin Discovery has been forced to close its doors to visitors until the question of planning permission has been addressed a new location has been decided and developed.

As stated in our previous report on 30 August 2007, Dolphin Discovery were seeking planning permission to move from their current location at Barnes Bay, however the Marine Connection supported local calls for an Environmental Impact Assessment to be conducted before any decision was made and were delighed when the local authorities agreed this was required and must be conducted prior to any planning considerations. However in the meantime a court injunction from the company who have purchased the land which Dolphin Discovery is currently situated on (Viceroy), has closed the facility and the Judge ordered Dolphin Discovery to cease operating and the employees had to leave their jobs. By order of the Judge, only the trainers and persons to care for the dolphins are still allowed on the property at Barnes Bay. Viceroy purchased the area on the understanding that a new location would have to be found by the end of August, however as there have been many delays in moving, Viceroy decided to take Dolphin Discovery to court.

Some 40 employees went to Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming, saying that they were now out of a job because of the closure. However Fleming told the employees that as the matter was before the court, there was nothing he could do to help them. In the meantime an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is being carried out at Blowing Point - the proposed new location for Dolphin Discovery for which planning permission is being sought. The Marine Connection will continue to support local concerns over this relocation, however given this latest delay to their plans, whether Dolphin Discovery remains on Anguilla or not is open to conjecture.