A young dolphin trapped in Fishguard Harbour is believed to have headed out to sea last night, however its future still looks less than certain.

The young dolphin was reported to marine conservation charity Sea Trust yesterday morning, staff and volunteers kept watch on it all day and The RSPCA and the strandings network (CSIP) came to assess the situation.

The dolphin moved near the Fisherman’s Quay, close to the Stena ramp toward the end of the day.

Sea Trust staff were able to get better views of it and could see no injuries.

“The problem was that the area around Fisherman's Quay would dry out as the tide dropped stranding the dolphin,” said Sea Trust founder Cliff Benson.

“We could see it from the Ocean Lab but it was getting dark, so Anna and Holly went back out into the rain to make sure it wasn't going to be left stranded overnight in the dark.

“As they made their way out there, I was back inside watching it with a telescope in the Ocean Lab.

“It had been dithering about in a relatively small area, repeatedly back and forth, for a several hours, but then seemed to realise its situation was getting more dangerous and slowly moved out and away into the relative safety of deeper water.”

As darkness settled, Sea Trust staff lost sight of the animal.

“There was nothing more we could do but we felt relieved it was no longer in imminent danger of stranding. Sadly, without its pod or its mother the odds are stacked against it, all we can do is hope and pray it finds its way out of the harbour and reunites with its pod and mother.”

Cliff said the reason it may have been trapped in the harbour in the first place may be connected with the presence of large foreign trawlers fishing off the Smalls in an area where super pods of dolphins have been spotted.

“I hate to think what is happening out there,” said Cliff. “It’s possible that our young dolphin is a victim of this ecological nightmare.”

Cliff thanked the members of the public who had expressed support and concern for the young dolphin as well as Rod Penrose of CSIP and partner Lyn.

This morning, Friday, Cliff said that Sea Trust staff had checked the harbour, the area around Stena and at Harbour Village and there was no sign of the dolphin.

"It's a young one without a mother or pod," said Cliff. "I hope it might pick up with its mother and the others. If any body does see the dolphin around the harbour I would ask them to get in touch with Sea Trust at the Ocean Lab, Goodwick."