after four of its animals were lost in surges caused by Hurricane Gert on Monday.

Mr. Hodgson said he was responding to public concerns and declined to comment further.

Acting Permanent Secretary John Barnes said: "He has asked the department to look into it to ascertain if there is any wrong doing.

"I don't want to say too much about it at the moment because I don't want to prejudice the situation.'' However, he revealed the inquiry will look into: Whether Dolphin Quest was negligent in leaving so much of the structure for the pen which then came loose and clattered the dolphins; Whether Dolphin Quest should have swam the dolphins round to safety before the storm hit; and Whether Dolphin Quest should have had holding pens ready at a safer spot on the shoreline.

Inquiry into Dolphin Quest decision to leave the four dolphins together as a unit.

He said: "If you move the mother without the calf, the calf will go ballistic and if you move the calf without the mother, the mother will go ballistic.'' And he said the Ministry is involved in helping Dolphin Quest in recapturing the lost animals.

They lent the company a boat throughout the week and they will join the flotilla of crafts that will go searching for the dolphins this weekend.

"We'll have our boats out with somebody from Dolphin Quest on board.'' Dolphin Quest spokesman Chris Heslop said: "We will cooperate fully with any inquiry and give them any information they require.'' He said there had been more sightings of the missing mammals yesterday.

He explained: "There were a couple of calls in the Tucker's Town area near Frick's Point and there were a lot of calls about possible spottings near the Coney Island area of Ferry Reach.

"Boats tend to go quite fast in that area and I would urge owners to take care they don't hit one of the dolphins.'' He said around 20 boat owners had signed up for today's armada and he expected more to make themselves known on the day.

"We expect to find them over the weekend and the facility is now ready to take them,'' Mr. Heslop said.

SEA