Fisheries officials unable to help dolphins trapped by ice in N.L. harbour

A Canadian Coast Guard vessel was unable to help a group of dolphins trapped by ice in Heart’s Delight, Newfoundland, on Tuesday. Fisheries officials said heavy ice had blocked the dolphins’ exit route, leaving them confined in a shrinking pool of water. The Fisheries Department requested routine ice reconnaissance assistance from a coast guard ship more than an hour outside St. John’s, but officials determined that trying to shift the ice would be “very dangerous” for the animals and would add stress. Fisheries staff will keep monitoring the pod and are hopeful winds will move the ice out by Wednesday. A local resident reported seeing the dolphins since Sunday and estimated six or seven remained, emphasizing limited options and no access to feed.