Dolphin Quest intends to operate two facilities here in an effort to safeguard their school of dolphins from potentially deadly hurricanes.

The company has submitted an application to the Development and Applications Board requesting permission to carry out a $1 million redevelopment of their East Whale Bay facility.

They have also applied to make their Dockyard operation a permanent, year round facility.

Dolphin Quest was heavily criticised after 1999's Hurricane Gert destroyed parts of the South Shore facility leaving four dolphins missing.

Part of the upgrade to the South Shore facility includes building a 500-yard concrete path along the beach to allow trucks to reach a winch to lift the dolphins from their enclosure.

Included in the revamp is a wider entrance in the perimeter of the pen to allow a catamaran powerboat access to the dolphins before a storm hits.

The catamaran will have a tank designed to transport dolphins to the Dockyard Keep.

Trainers are also working on a release programme in which dolphins would be set free before storms hit, and collected later.

Dolphin Quest will also require a license from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to rebuild its facility and they will have to adopt and rehearse a realistic flexible emergency plan.

The 13-acre facility has, over the years, drawn criticism from both the National Trust, and community activists.

The company hit back, arguing that in three years of operation, Dolphin Quest has proved to be a huge attraction to visitors and locals alike.

He said more than 40,000 persons have participated in the programmes in Bermuda.

SEA