The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force announced 33 new Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) within the Northeast Atlantic and Baltic Sea.
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Our winter survey programme on board Silurian has been running since 2019, trying to understand more about the year-round presence of marine vertebrates within the Hebridean seas. these surveys are important given that before the start of the programme, little winter data existed for the region. below, the team onboard the first winter survey of this year, give an update…
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Many of us have little comprehension of how noisy the aquatic world is, you’d be forgiven for assuming it’s a peaceful environment…it’s anything but! Our seas and oceans are a cacophony of sound and getting increasingly noisier, as human activity intensifies the soundscape.
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Following a public consultation in 2023, the Scottish Government have announced a ban on industrial sandeel fishing in Scottish waters ahead of the 2024 fishery season in March. The move is especially important for species that rely on sandeels as an important component of their diet, such as harbour porpoise and minke whale.
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2023 was a record-breaking year for marine conservation charity the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) and their Whale Track community of citizen scientists. For the first time in the Trusts 30-year history, over 10,000 sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks were reported by members of the public in one year.
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Lynsey Bland, a member of the Whale Track community, shares a sighting from a particularly memorable autumn day.
Minke whale © Lynsey Bland
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With the nights drawing in and the frost settling on the ground, winter is well and truly upon us, so we take a look back at a jam packed autumn of sightings.
©Zoltan Around the Globe
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Long-term monitoring is the foundation of effective conservation. At HWDT we talk about long-term monitoring a lot but what is it and why is it such an important part of wildlife conservation?
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For many, summer is the time to get out and watch for the abundance of marine wildlife that migrate into our seas each year, but winter is still an exciting and important time to have your eyes on the sea.
Our Education and Sightings Officer, Sadie, dives deeper into why winter watching is so important, encouraging everyone to don their raincoats and woolly hats and #EmbraceYourWhaledSide, dedicating some time to watch from land.
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Over 90 people joined an expedition during the 2023 field season. Trained in data collection and survey protocol, these citizen scientists joined a community of people - stretching back over 20 years - helping to improve the understanding of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks off Scotland’s west coast and safeguard them for future generations.
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Photography has never been so accessible; the development of camera technology in our phones and the affordability of professional kit means more people than ever can take amazing photos. But did you know…for decades photos have been a fundamental resource in driving forward our understanding of whales and dolphins.
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Scotland’s west coast seas are a vitally important area for minke whales – with some of these spectacular but vulnerable marine mammals notching up Europe’s longest sighting histories of almost 30 years, research by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust shows.
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The Crew of our sixteenth research expedition surveyed The Minch and Sound of Rasaay, encountering four species of cetacean in their week-long trip. Unfortunately, the trip was cut short due to a mechanical issue but not before the team were inundated with dolphins! Read all about their time on board Silurian
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This September we set sail to Shieldaig and Gairloch to invite 4 schools, never before visited, aboard our research vessel and floating classroom, Silurian. Our Education and Sightings Officer, Sadie, shares the fun had by pupils, teachers and crew.
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The crew of our fifteenth research expedition of the year left Mallaig and monitored water east of the Isle of Skye. Despite challenging weather, the fantastic team of citizen scientists who joined the crew onboard encountered six species of marine mammals across the seven days.
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Silurian is not just a research vessel, she’s home to the hundreds of volunteers who join us each year and doubles up as a floating classroom, welcoming on board school children to be inspired by their local marine environment. Our First Mate Jake has been giving our hardworking vessel some TLC.
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The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) is excited to announce a return to our partnership with Lindblad Expeditions in 2023, to support our work protecting whales and dolphins on Scotland’s west coast.
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Christine Tansey, the Better Biodiversity Data (BBD) project Partnership Officer from the National Biodiversity Network Trust recently joined Silurian on a trip from Ullapool back home to Tobermory. With a background in terrestrial conservation and recording, this opportunity gave Christine an insight into the protocols used and challenges faced when collecting and processing cetacean sightings and acoustic data.
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Hannah Mcvicar, who reports what sea creatures she’s spotted through Whale Track, shares some memorable sightings from this season, including an unexpected encounter with 8 basking sharks!
Basking shark image © Hannah Mcvicar
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The long-term cetacean monitoring work undertaken by citizen scientists on board our research vessel, Silurian, has been shortlisted for the coveted RSPB Nature of Scotland Coasts and Waters Award. The project, ‘Silurian: A 20-year voyage to protect Hebridean whales’ celebrates the contribution over a thousand people have made to protecting our seas.
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