Conservation organisations and Police join forces to help protect seabirds and marine mammals along the Yorkshire coastline

But its towering cliff faces and deep waters are also home to a rich array of wildlife. Along the cliffs of Flamborough and Filey, around 250,000 seabirds return each year to nest.

While off the shoreline sightings of seals, dolphins and whales have been steadily increasing, particularly close inshore from Scarborough southwards.

Creating a safe place for all the coast’s visitors to thrive is the aim of a new partnership between conservation groups, councils and the Police which launched yesterday along the North Yorkshire and Humber coast.

Operation Seabird was developed following concerns that marine wildlife in the area was being disturbed by jet skis, kayaks, speedboats and other vessels in the waters around the coast.

It brings together both of the area’s Police forces, Scarborough and the East Riding of Yorkshire Councils, the RSPCA, RSPB, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the Flamborough Head European Marine Site Management Scheme.

Kicking off the operation were joint patrols around Scarborough’s North Bay and South Landing at Flamborough, talking to visitors to raise awareness of the issues and making sure marine wildlife, which is protected under law, is being respected.

More patrols are planned along the Yorkshire coast over the coming months.

PC Rich Fussey, from Humberside Police, said: “The Yorkshire coastline is a fantastic landscape that’s an important feeding and breeding ground for a variety of seabirds and marine mammals. Unfortunately we have a number of reports each year of members of the public on the water, approaching too closely to the wildlife that live the area including the nesting seabirds and marine mammals.

“Op Seabird is a multi-agency partnership operation to educate the public about the importance of the resident wildlife and the impact that these disturbance events can cause.

“The key focus of the operation is to make sure members of the public, who are using the waters along the Yorkshire coast, do so in a responsible way.

“We want to ensure they keep their distance from the wildlife to prevent intentional disturbance and to safeguard this stretch of coastline, allowing future generations to enjoy the spectacle we see today.”

North Yorkshire Police Rural Taskforce officer, PC Adam Marshall agreed.

He said: “It’s a real privilege to have such diverse marine wildlife visiting and making its home on our stretch of coastline and that is why it’s so important we all do our bit to protect it.

“By keeping disruption to an absolute minimum, we can help these animals thrive, and ensure future generations can enjoy their presence too.”

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Thank you

James Mitchinson