A harbour porpoise is believed to have been struck by a boat in Lowestoft’s harbour this weekend – making it the fourth marine mammal to die on Suffolk’s coastline in a week.
Coastguard teams were called to reports the porpoise had washed up onto the shore at around 8.22pm on Saturday.
They were sent to Lowestoft beach, opposite the Jolly Sailors pub, and launched an investigation.
Concerns were raised that the mammal could have been another whale – a baby minke whale and an adult minke whale washed up in Felixstowe and Orford last weekend.
A third adult minke died around 25m out to sea near Felixstowe.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said: “On arrival and investigation it (the marine mammal) was found to be a harbour porpoise, approximately 5ft long.
“It was deemed that the whale had been struck by a vessels prop, potentially in and around the Lowestoft harbour.
“We were provided details to pass onto the receiver of wreck.”
Under British laws, whales and porpoises are royal fish, so when they wash up on UK shores they become the personal property of the Queen.
The receiver of wreck, Alison Kentuck, was informed of the incident overnight on Sunday. She is responsible, alongside local councils, for disposing of royal fish in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency teams said the porpoise was returned to the sea at high tide on Saturday.
If it washes up on the beach again, after today (Bank Holiday Monday) Waveney District Council will be responsible for removing it.
Specialist teams were sent to remove the 40ft minke whale from Felixstowe beach on Wednesday after it washed up near the pier last weekend.
The CSIP has carried out tests on the whale, however the cause of its death has not yet been confirmed.
It is thought that like the porpoise, the whale may have been struck by a boat either before or after its death.
Speaking to this newspaper earlier this week, a British Divers Marine Life Rescue spokesman said: “There is a rumour that one of them died possibly due to a ship strike.”
He added that it was not uncommon for small groups of minke to be swimming off the Suffolk coast.
John Cresswell, from the Felixstowe Volunteer Coast Patrol Rescue Service, said whales could become disorientated closer to shore where mud banks interfered with their
sonar.
Other possible factors include poor hydration, not feeding properly, or disease.
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