Following concerns expressed by the Ministry for the Environment about marine life being trapped within the operational docks at Gibdock, the local shipyard operator has embarked on an innovative programme to install bubble barriers in each of the docks to prevent fish or any other marine species from becoming trapped.

The bubble barrier is an innovative technique in which Gibdock are trying to mimic the methods used by dolphins who use bubbles to prevent prey from escaping when hunting. Using the same strategy, Gibdock have embarked on a test project to deter fish from entering the docks and thereby minimising the number of fish being trapped inside the dock.

A bubble barrier has been fitted to Dock 3 and will soon be fitted to Docks 1 and 2.

The initiative is currently in its trial phases and if it is successful, it will become yet another tool used to help improve the environmental performance of operations taking place within Gibraltar Harbour.