Chiquita Lock closed for three hours Friday to attempt to free trapped dolphin
The Chiquita Lock will be closed to boater traffic on Friday, April 17, from 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. as marine mammal specialists with NOAA Fisheries and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission attempt to free a bottlenose dolphin trapped behind the lock.
The dolphin has been behind the gates since April 4.
The gates of the lock will remain open for the three-hour period as officials try to coax the dolphin through the lock and into open water. Boat traffic must be suspended to decrease the chance of spooking the dolphin. Should efforts to persuade the dolphin into open water be successful before 12:30 p.m., the lock will be reopened to boat traffic.
Bottlenose dolphins are protected by Federal law and “take” is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NOAA Fisheries Service is the agency with jurisdiction over dolphins.
Source: City of Cape Coral