Tom Ewart Smith
A BOTTLENOSE dolphin known locally as ‘Manoliño’ is causing increasing frustration among shellfish divers in Galicia, northern Spain, who say the animal’s playful behaviour is disrupting their ability to work – and costing them their livelihoods.
The dolphin, first sighted in 2019, has become a well-known presence along Galicia’s northern coast.
Widely featured in social media clips and viral videos, Manoliño is often seen interacting closely with swimmers, kayakers, and divers.
While tourists and locals are captivated by the dolphin’s apparent friendliness, professional shellfish harvesters say his presence in the Ria de Ferrol is having serious consequences.
Juanjo Iñiguez Piñeiro, a shellfish harvester from Ferrol, has summed up the sentiment in videos posted to Facebook.
“Well, just another day at the office… the famous dolphin’s made sure I have to head home by ten in the morning,” he claimed.
Galicia’s famous dolphin frequently swims among divers and fishing crews, approaching closely, nudging them, playing with their gear, and even tying knots in their air hoses.
Shellfish divers say these interruptions often force them to abandon their work long before midday.
“Now that people come during Holy Week and feed him, he stays the night here, and we have to go home,” Iñiguez added, blaming tourists for encouraging the dolphin’s behaviour.
Some crews have even resorted to working in shifts, with one diver distracting Manoliño while the other attempts to gather shellfish.
On a normal day, a diver might expect to earn between €60 and €80, but when Manoliño is present, Iñiguez says, “non gañamos un pesiño” – “you don’t earn a penny”.
Despite the animal’s protected status, there have been repeated calls from within the fishing community for authorities to find a solution.
Some suggest relocating the dolphin to another part of the coastline.
“I don’t know what we have to do for someone to take action and remove him so we can work,” Iñiguez said, emphasising that none of the divers would ever harm the animal.
The case highlights the growing tension between human activity and wildlife in coastal environments.
Manoliño, believed to have been separated from his pod at a young age, has developed a strong attraction to human interaction.
Experts warn that repeated contact can alter a dolphin’s natural behaviour, making it more vulnerable to injury or exploitation.
In fact, Manoliño was previously spotted with a harpoon wound – an incident that shocked the local community but did not dissuade him from seeking out humans.
Although many view Manoliño as a symbol of a thriving marine ecosystem, others see him as a victim of human interference – a wild animal that has been unintentionally conditioned to rely on people for attention and food.
For now, shellfish divers in Ferrol are simply asking for space – and hoping that Galicia’s most famous dolphin might eventually swim off to quieter waters.
