Calls have been reinforced to ensure that jet-ski users keep their distance from an island just off Tenby, to ensure that marine wildlife and nesting birds are protected from disturbance.

County councillor for Tenby’s north ward Cllr Michael Williams has written to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s chief executive Tegryn Jones asking the authority to issue a warning to keep jet skis away from St Margaret's Island.

The island adjoining Caldey is a small but important nature reserve, with colonies of cliff-nesting guillemots and razorbills, cormorants and a good mix of all three big gulls: great black-backed, lesser black-backed and herring gulls.

For several years there have been gannets circling and setting up territories on the north-east side of the island, which could perhaps become a future gannetry.

Giltar Point, Caldey and St Margarets Islands basking in the April setting sun
Giltar Point, Caldey and St Margarets Islands basking in the April setting sun (Pic: Si Worley)

A few pairs of puffins also breed on the slopes facing towards Tenby, but there appears to be more making their home there this year.

“For the first time in a number of years there appears to be a viable number of Puffins establishing on the island,” explained Cllr Williams.

“With this in mind might I request that the warden that works with Bourne Leisure at Lydstep reinforces the need to keep jet skis away from the island - in particular during the breeding season.

“The disturbances caused by such skis causes huge disturbance to marine life in general and in particular to nesting sea birds.

“It would appear that the voluntary code of practise is failing to deliver the necessary level of protection to wildlife, and there might well be a need to implement a ban on launching jet skis in the Lydstep area in the same way that it applies in other parts in the area.

jet ski
In recent years Cllr Williams has criticised jet-ski users as more and more incidents of ‘irresponsible and dangerous’ actions have been flagged-up, which he said had ‘plagued’ the southern Carmarthen Bay area (pixabay)

“If the voluntary code which I understand is in place fails to control the irresponsible activities of a small number of users, then more draconian legislation should be considered,” he continued.

In recent years Cllr Williams has criticised jet-ski users as more and more incidents of ‘irresponsible and dangerous’ actions have been flagged-up, which he said had ‘plagued’ the southern Carmarthen Bay area, with some racing around at very high speeds off areas such as Tenby’s South beach in close proximity to people in the sea.

PCNPA have also taken measures on land owned by the Authority to limit the numbers and frequency of jet-ski and personal watercraft users accessing the water, to address issues of misuse in the sea.