Whale and dolphin watchers wanted

Whale and dolphin watchers wanted

 
 
The marine research charity Sea Watch is seeking nature lovers and local yachtsmen and women who will be willing to spend time watching out from the coast of south eastern Scotland and in coastal waters during this summer’s National Whale and Dolphin Watch (NWDW).
 
Harbour porpoise, minke whales and bottlenose dolphins are regular visitors to south east Scotland. In previous years bottlenose dolphin sightings occurred in small numbers but last year many sightings of large groups were recorded continuously between May and October last year, suggesting a possible change in range movement.
Other species have also been spotted around St Abb’s Head including sperm whales in 2007, Risso’s dolphins and a killer whale in 2008 and two white beaked dolphins last August.
Observers can carry out watches from land or, if they have access to a boat, from sea and no experience is necessary. Key watch locations include St Andrew’s, Fife Ness, the Isle of May, North Berwick and St Abb’s Head.
 
All volunteers will be sent information about what to look for and how to record their sightings. If enough people apply there may be opportunities to ‘buddy up’ with other local enthusiasts.
National Whale and Dolphin Watch is being held from August 7 - 15. Information gathered creates a snapshot of the distribution of dolphins, whales and porpoises – cetaceans - around the coast, feeding into scientific discussions on abundance and distribution. Thirteen different species are known to live in or regularly visit UK waters.
 
Sea Watch Sightings Officer Gemma Veneruso said: “We are hoping to recruit people who are willing to commit to spend some time during the watch looking out at locations near where they live. Any time that they can spare would be appreciated. We have some observers who do watches all day every day and others who do one two-hour watch and it is all beneficial.
“They will need binoculars. A compass is useful, but not essential, as is a camera.  I will be sending out detailed information to all volunteers about the species they can expect to see locally, how to identify them and the sort of information we need recording.
 
“Volunteers’ sightings will be in addition to public watches which will be held at various points along the coast and will supplement our existing observers and co-ordinators. We are hoping to build as comprehensive picture as possible of what species are around our coast during that period.
“We would also like to ask any local environmental organisations/centres or commercial boat operators to be involved in the event by  doing their own watches.”
Sea Watch collects sightings data all year round which helps to feed into discussions to help shape marine conservation policies aimed at protecting the whales, dolphins and porpoises around our coast.
 
To become an observer, or for more information on Sea Watch’s sightings network and other research projects, see www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk.
Anyone interested should contact Gemma at Sea Watch on 01545 561227 or email her at[email protected]
 
 
If you wish to support the work of Sea Watch but are unable to commit to time during National Whale and Dolphin Watch you can support their research through www.adoptadolphin.org.uk . All monies raised through the campaign help fund Sea Watch’s research.
 
·         In 2009 Sea Watch became the first UK organisation to win an international Education and Outreach award from ASCOBANS/UNEP. ASCOBANS stands for the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and NorthSeas. The Treaty has been in force since 1994 with an extension of the Agreement Area to include the Irish Sea and North East Atlantic (linking up to the ACCOBAMS Agreement Area) coming into force in February 2008. The Treaty involves 10 countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom.
 
 

• Every year Sea Watch organises a National Whale and Dolphin Watch week, when members of the public can join experienced observers around the coastline to collect sightings. Since the event began in 2002, more than 3,500 sightings have been made in locations from the Channel Islands and the Scillies to the Shetland Isles, encompassing places as varied as Brighton, Plymouth, Anglesey, Aberdeen, Whitby and Hull.
• In total, 28 species of dolphins, whales and porpoises have been recorded in UK & Irish waters, 12 of these during a National Whale and Dolphin Watch.
• Dolphins face a number of threats including accidental capture in fishing nets, marine pollution, noise disturbance and depletion of fish stocks. They may also be affected by rising sea temperatures as a result of global climate change.
• Sea Watch is a registered marine conservation research charity working to improve the conservation of whales and dolphins in the seas around Britain and Ireland. It aims to involve, inform and educate members of the public and to raise awareness of threats faced by marine mammals.
• The Sea Watch www.adoptadolphin.org.uk was voted by BBC Wildlife magazine the best UK animal adoption scheme

·         This is the 11th year that BG Group has provided funding for Sea Watch. BG Group plc (LSE: BG.L) is a world leader in natural gas, with a strategy focused on connecting competitively priced resources to specific, high-value markets. Active in over 25 countries on five continents, BG Group has a broad portfolio of exploration and production, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), transmission and distribution and power generation business interests. It combines a deep understanding of gas markets with a proven track record in finding and commercialising reserves. BG Group seeks to support social and economic development in the communities where it does business and is proud to continue its support of the National Whale and Dolphin Watch.