Welsh Sea Watchers Project Volunteer Handbook

Transcription

1 Welsh Sea Watchers Project Volunteer Handbook The Welsh Sea Watchers Project is run by the Sea Watch Foundation and is funded by the Wales Council for voluntary action.

2 Introduction Thank you for choosing to volunteer with the Sea Watch Foundation We couldn t do it without you and we are hoping you will enjoy volunteering with us and learning all about the fascinating species of whales, dolphins and porpoises around the UK. Help us help them The Sea Watch Foundation The Sea Watch Foundation is a national marine environmental research charity that aims to achieve better conservation of whales and dolphins in the seas around Britain and Ireland, by involving the public in scientific monitoring of populations and the threats they face. It is the longest- running research charity in UK focusing upon cetaceans around the British Isles, and maintains a national sightings database, the largest in Europe. It works closely with all the UK statutory conservation agencies, and advises UK government, the UNEP Regional intergovernmental Conservation Agreement ASCOBANS, the European Commission, as well as the major conservation charities and marine industries operating in the UK. The Welsh Sea Watchers Project The Welsh Sea Watchers Project was started in 2013, funded by the Wales Council for Voluntary action, with the aim to promote a better understanding of Welsh cetaceans with the help of volunteers. The project has three main aims: Monitoring: monitoring cetaceans around Wales through land based surveys and collecting casual sighting reports 2

3 Community Outreach: raising awareness of Welsh cetaceans and Sea Watch s work through organising outreach events Education: conducting school visits to engage children in conservation Monitoring cetaceans and submitting sightings with the Welsh Sea Watchers program directly contributes to the research of the Sea Watch Foundation. All sightings contribute to the Sea Watch sightings database, one of the largest and longest- running cetacean sightings network in the world. This data allows us to identify cetacean hotspots, assess critical habitats and advise the government on the establishment of Special Area of Conservations as the Cardigan Bay and the Pen Llŷn a'r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation in West Wales. 3

4 Volunteering with the Welsh Sea Watchers Project Benefits of volunteering Whether you are looking to gain experience for a career in conservation or are looking for a fulfilling hobby, volunteering with wildlife brings a host of benefits with it. Marine Mammal Science is an extremely competitive field and experience is essential. Working for the Welsh Sea Watchers Project, you will gain extensive experience in cetacean surveying techniques, species identification and environmental education. Even if you are looking to find employment in a different field, volunteer work is often highly valued by employers as it showcases an individual s motivation and work ethic. In addition to gaining valuable work experience, all volunteers will be offered a 50% discount on the New Quay based cetacean training course once they have contributed 200 hours of their time. 4

5 Not to mention the opportunity to meet people and observe amazing wildlife in it s natural habitat What we expect from you Qualification/Skills You do not need any formal qualifications to volunteer with the Welsh Sea Watchers Project, only a keen interest in cetaceans in conservation. We welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Ideally you should be located in Wales and, for insurance reasons, be over 16 years of age. While access may be restricted at some fieldwork sites, many sites are wheelchair accessible. Your Volunteer Role Depending on your interest and skills you can may want to get involved in one or all of the three key areas of the Welsh Sea Watchers Project; monitoring, community outreach and education. Monitoring Collecting data on Welsh cetaceans is one of the main aims of the Welsh Sea Watchers Project. Data collection will be conducted primarily from land based watch sites. There will be regular training courses throughout the year for volunteers to attend to learn more about cetacean surveying and species ID and the Wales Development officer will provide support and advice whenever required. After initial training, volunteers are expected to set up their own land- 5

6 based watches from designated sites, ideally twice a month or more. All data is to be reported back to either the Wales Development Officer at regular intervals. Community Outreach Raising awareness of Welsh cetaceans is a vital aspect of Sea Watch s work. Volunteers who want to get involved in community outreach will be expected to raise awareness of the Welsh Sea Watchers project through social networking, distribution of flyers and independently organising talks and events. Education Volunteers looking to get involved in education will be given training to become Sea Watch Foundation lecturers and will represent Sea Watch during school talks and events. The Wales Development Officer will provide all educational materials required. Commitment We understand that volunteer work can be difficult to fit in around a busy schedule. For this reason, volunteer hours with the Welsh Sea Watchers project are flexible. We do, however, expect a regular commitment, ideally 4 hours a month or more. In case of fieldwork, this is obviously weather dependent. We ask that you maintain a careful log of your volunteer hours on the log sheets provided and submit them to the Wales Development Officer at regular intervals. 6

7 Conduct While volunteering for Sea Watch you will often be in contact with the general public, please be courteous and respectful at all times and answer any questions they may have to the best of your knowledge. If unsure, refer them to the Sea Watch website. Some fieldwork sites may be remote and difficult to access, please be sure to carry out your work without endangering yourself, fellow volunteers or the general public. Be sure to inform the Wales Development Officer of any concerns you may have regarding your health and safety. 7

8 Field Work Monitoring cetaceans all around Wales is one of the key aims of the Welsh Sea Watchers Project. The following land watch sites are of particular interest: 1.Great Orme, Conwy 2.Point Lynas, Anglesey 3.South Stack, Anglesey 4. Bardsey Sound, Gwynedd 5.Harlech, Gwynedd 6.Aberystwyth, Ceredigion 7. Mwnt, Ceredigion 8.Fishguard, Pembrokeshire 9.Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire 8

9 10.Ramsey Sound, Pembrokeshire 11. Tenby, Pembrokeshire 12. Worm s Head, Swansea 13. The Mumbles, Swansea 14. Ogmore by Sea, Glamorgan 15. Penarth Pier, Glamorgan 9

10 A Guide to land based watches Why land based watches? Land based watches are an easy and effective way to monitor cetaceans. Regular land based watches can provide vital information on cetacean distribution and hot spots, areas with high cetacean sighting rates. It is less intrusive than boat- based surveys and hence less likely to bias the animals behaviour. It is more cost effective than boat based surveys and can also be conducted in slightly worse weather conditions. Planning your watch Environmental conditions The weather can severely affect your chances of seeing cetaceans. Be sure to check the weather before you go out on watch. The two main variables to check are wind and tides. The tidal range, the difference between water height at high and low tide, can be significant in many areas of Wales so to increase your chances of observing cetaceans, time your watch to coincide with high water when possible. Tide tables can often be purchased locally but can also be found on the Internet. Wind speed and direction directly affects the sea state, which in turn affects how likely you are to see cetaceans. Check the wind on websites such as 10

11 Generally, wind speeds of 13 mph are too rough to watch in, however, it is worthwhile getting to know your watch sites. Some areas may be sheltered by wind or can be calmer than expected depending on the wind direction. 11

12 What to take Make sure you are well prepared for your watch and you have packed all your equipment. Watch sites can be remote and it is not always easy to nip back home to get something you forgot. Be sure to take weatherproof clothes, even if it seems warm initially, it can get cold if you are sitting on a cliff for 2 hours Binoculars or spotting scope Effort forms, pencils, erasers & sharpeners Watch Compass Camera Waterproofs Sunscreen Sunglasses (preferably polarised) Water & food Scanning & spotting Once you have set up at your site and have dated the effort sheets, it is time to start scanning. Scan with your bare eye slowly from left to ride and from near to far. Your field of view is wider without binoculars so only use them to check out potential signs of cetaceans. If there is more than one of you, take turns scanning with the bare eye and scanning with binoculars to cover the widest possible area. Things to look out for while scanning are: 12

13 Fins: dorsal fins can be very obvious in calm conditions and are often the first glimpse of a cetacean you will have. Leaps: some cetacean species are very active at the surface and will leap and breach, which makes them easy to spot Splashes: when cetaceans are feeding or are travelling fast, they might causes splashes and white water, which are easy to spot. Footprints: in calm conditions you may see large round ripples after cetaceans dive called footprints Diving birds: sea birds often feed on the same prey as cetaceans, if you see large numbers of seabirds diving, check the area carefully for cetaceans. Gannets, kittiwakes and terns are often seen feeding in association with cetaceans. 13

14 Collecting data Land based watches Duration: land based watches should last for 2 hours but can be longer. Recording data: Always fill in the date, site and observer name as soon as you get to your watch site and set up. It is easy to forget it later on. If you stay for more than 2 hours, be sure to fill in the header in subsequent pages as well Please write clearly and legibly so that people entering the data at a later date will have no problems reading what you wrote Recording effort The first table on the land watch form is used to record environmental conditions. Recording environmental conditions is 14

15 important for data analysis as environmental conditions directly affect our likelihood of sighting animals. Environmental conditions are recorded every 15 minutes. Note down the start and end time of each interval. Effort is recorded regardless whether or not you have sightings during that interval. The sea state describes the condition of the sea surface. The Beaufort scale is used to record sea state on a scale of 0-9. Sea State 0: Sea is mirror flat, water has glassy appearance. Typical windspeed: 0-1 mph Sea State 1: Calm, ripples, occasional small wavelets. Typical wind speed: 1-3 mph Sea State 2: Larger wavelets with glassy crests Typical windspeed: 4-7 mph 15

16 Sea State 3: Larger wavelets all over, occasional white caps Typical windspeed: 8-12 mph Sea State 4: SmaSmall waves, frequent white caps TypiTypical windspeed: 13-20mph Typically you should not conduct watches in anything over a sea state 3. Sea state 4 is characterised by longer and higher waves and frequent, white caps, which can make it very hard to spot cetaceans. However, conditions may change during a watch and you should not immediately abandon a watch if the wind picks up. One or two 15 minute periods of sea state 4 are acceptable if conditions are better throughout the rest of the watch, especially if it looks to be calming down. If a high sea state persists for more than 2 periods, cancel the watch. Swell describes the underlying movement of the sea rather than the movement of the surface of the water. Swell is recorded as low (0-1m), moderate(1-2m) or high (<2m). Ideally you should be watching in low swell. 16

17 Wind direction is the direction the wind is coming from. Visibility measures how far you can see. This can be tricky to determine if you are at an unfamiliar site. The best thing to do is find a landmark at the site and find the distance from your position to this landmark which you can do using Google Earth. Visibility is measured as <1km, 1-5km, 6-10 km or <10km. Ideally visibility should be over 6km. If visibility drops to under 1km for more than 2 15 minute periods, cancel the watch. The Additional Notes section allows you to record anything else that may be of interest or may be affecting your sightings. You can record things such as precipitation, boat traffic or sea bird sightings. Precipitation can affect visibility, while a light shower is not enough to cancel a watch, heavy downpours are likely to affect visibility and will make it hard to spot animals- and record data on our paper forms If it is raining heavily and looks unlikely to clear up, it is reasonable to cancel the watch. Recording sightings Sightings, unlike effort, are recorded continuously; you record the sighting as soon as you make it. The first thing to note is the time of sighting. 17

18 Spend some time observing the animals once the initial sighting has been made to determine their species, group composition and behaviour. Note down the species and how certain you are of your species ID. If animals are sighted at a distance or only sighted briefly, it can be hard to determine the species accurately. It may take a while to accurately assess group composition. Observe the animals and count any animals at the surface as well as any individuals surfacing up to 2 seconds after the first have gone under. If there are any animals that seem too far away to be the same, include these in your count as well. Keep counting until you have reached the same number at least 3 times. Calves and juveniles can be identified by their size, colouration and often positioning. Calves are usually paler than adults and about half the size or smaller. Young calves will often swim next to their mother in what is called the echelon position; very close to the female s mid flank. Typically they will surface just as the female is starting to go back under. 18

19 Juveniles are larger than calves but smaller than adults, about 2/3 of the adult size and often still slightly paler. Distance & bearing should be recorded at the point that the animals are closest to land. Distance can be quite hard to determine if you have no experience at estimating, try and use landmarks and confer with fellow volunteers if you are unsure. Distance should be recorded in metres. Bearing refers to the angle that the animals were sighted at. Please note that although it is important to keep an eye on any animals that have been sighted, you need to keep scanning the area to check for others. If there is a group of you, take turns to watch the animals and continue scanning the area. 19

20 Watch the animals for some time to determine their behaviour. Codes for different behaviours are supplied at the bottom of the form. Surfacing usually used if only sighted once and no behaviour could be determined Normal swim : Typically a sequence of 2 or more surfacing events seen, indicating movement through the water at a normal speed. Fast swim : Usually involves some splashing, or cases where animals are seen to rush through the surface creating some white water. In any event, they appear to be swimming faster than normal. Blow: Typically applied when the only observation made is a blow. Feeding: Should be reserved for cases in which some evidence for feeding has been seen, e.g. fish or other prey have been seen, associated seabirds were seen diving amongst the animals, or baleen whales were seen taking in large mouthfuls of water and straining it. If foraging suspected, record as SF (Suspected Feeding) Resting: Resting or lying still on the surface, or very slow movement. Socialising: typically a high energy behaviour; animals interacting with each other, leaping on and over each other, chasing one another. Frequent views of belly and pectoral fins. Bowriding: Includes riding other waves close to the vessel, e.g. alongside the stern. Leap: Breaching or leaping involves a substantial part or all of an animal leaving the water. 20

21 Tail slap: slapping water surface with fluke If there are any seabirds interacting with the animals, record species and number in the associated seabirds column. Birds need to be interacting in some way with cetaceans to be recorded, they could be circling over the animals or diving in close vicinity. If birds are just sitting on the surface at a distance, they are not associated. Other species to record Although our main focus is recording cetaceans, all marine mammals should be recorded. In addition to marine mammals, sharks, sunfish and turtles should also be recorded. Boat based watches We do not have a dedicated research vessel for the Welsh Sea Watchers Program; however, we do encourage volunteers that have access to boats to record cetacean sightings while out at sea. Boat based watches can be carried out from any type of boat as long as you can record data at regular intervals: private boats, ferries and whale watching boats are all feasible options. A full list of Sea Watch approved boat operators can be found on the Sea Watch website. Boat based watches require two forms, the effort form and the sightings form. 21

22 Recording Effort Environmental conditions are recorded at 15- minute intervals as during land- based watches. In addition to sea state and swell, the boat based recording form also requires you to record latitude and longitude, boat course, speed, effort type and boat activity. Latitude & longitude designate the boats position and can be read off either the boats GPS or a handheld GPS. The boat course (direction of travel recorded in degrees) and boat speed (speed of travel) can also be read off a GPS. In the column boat activity, record any boats in line of sight, differentiating between different types of boats; NB (no boats), SB 22

23 (speed boat), MB (motor boat), YA (Yacht), RB (row boat), JS (jet ski), FE (ferry), LS (large ship). The column effort type refers to the type of survey you are conducting. This will casual watch (CW) for any survey that is not a dedicated cetacean survey. The sightings reference (Sight. Ref.) column is used to cross reference with the sightings form. Number sightings as you go along, starting at 1. Put the sightings reference number in the time period the sighting was first made and then fill in the sightings form. Recording Sightings Sightings, unlike effort, are recorded continuously; you record the sighting as soon as you make it. 23

24 The three things you should record first are position, bearing and distance. If you are using a handheld GPS the first thing to do is mark the position. This freezes the latitude and longitude and allows you to write down the numbers more easily. If you cannot mark the position, be sure to write down the position as quickly as possible before the boats position changes too much from the initial spot of the sighting. Then record the angle (bearing) and distance to the animals. In addition the data recorded during land based watches, the boat based effort form also records reaction. This refers to the animals reaction to the boat; POS (positive, attracted to the boat), NEG (negative, avoiding boat), NON (neutral, no response). Observer name refers to the observer that initially spotted the animals. You can use an acronym to save space. Usually this would be the first letter of your name and the first two letters of your family name, for example: Katrin Lohrengel becomes KLO. If you are out on the boat for a long period of time, you might be collecting a lot of data so ensure that all pages are correctly numbered and all the data in the header is filled in on every page. Before sending off your forms, cross check that all sightings references correspond to a time period on the effort form. If you are using your own boat please be sure to always adhere to the Code of Conduct. 24

25 Harassing cetaceans is an offence; to approach and remain with animals for a prolonged period of time requires a licence to disturb. You can find a copy of the Code of Conduct in the handbook annex or on the Sea Watch website. Submitting your sightings Once you have completed your watch, it is time to report your sightings and contribute to Sea Watch s National Sightings Database You can submit your sightings directly by submitting your sighting online via Sea Watch s online sightings form: The sightings form will ask you for all the details you have recorded on the sightings form as well as for latitude and longitude of the sighting. Please do not enter the latitude and longitude of your position, as when we go to plot sightings it will show up on land In order to find lats and longs for your sightings, you can use Google Earth or websites such as Please be sure to use the degrees and decimal minutes format when entering your location 25

26 Alternatively, you can contact the Wales Development Officer with your sightings information. In general it might be easier to submit sightings directly via the online form, however, if you have any questions about species identification or anything else, it is always a good idea to ask for advice. Submitting your effort forms Submitting your land watch forms is equally important as submitting your sightings. Even if you had no sightings during your watch, it is vital that you send us your forms as it still gives us important information on sighting patterns You can send in your effort forms to the Sea Watch Office in New Quay or alternatively scan them in and send them by to the Wales Development Officer. 26

27 Porpoise vs. Dolphin The two most common coastal species are bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoise. Inexperienced observers sometimes confuse the two due to superficial similarities but there are a couple of simple ways to tell the difference. Size Bottlenose dolphins grow up to 4m in length whereas harbour porpoise rarely exceed 1.5m. Fin shape Harbour porpoise have a small, triangular fin Bottlenose dolphins have a tall, falcate (curved) dorsal fin, often severely marked Head shape Harbour porpoise have a blunt head with not distinct beak Bottlenose dolphins have a distinct stubby beak 27

28 Behaviour Harbour porpoise usually occur alone or in groups of two or three individuals. They may form large, but widely dispersed, groups while feeding. Typically they are timid and avoid boats. They are usually not very active at the surface, surfacing briefly showing only the fin and back before diving. Bottlenose dolphins are social animals, commonly occurring in groups of 6 or more individuals. They can be very active at the surface and frequently surface showing head, fin and back. They will occasionally approach boats to bowride and can be very acrobatic. Education & Community Outreach Long- term conservation success is often reliant not only on scientific consensus but on the support of the general public. By providing talks and information for classes during school visits, we aim to inspire future generations to care for our marine environment and protect cetacean habitats. Equally, involving local communities in conservation efforts can instil a sense of pride in local wildlife and may encourage residents to support and get involved in conservation projects. 28

29 Community outreach Community outreach can take many forms, whether it is handing out leaflets on the local high street or organising talks and events. Volunteers looking to get involved in community outreach should aim to seek out any opportunities in their local community that may help promote Sea Watch and the Welsh Sea Watchers project in their local area. Community outreach activities may include but are not limited to: Handing out leaflets and posters (eg. marinas, yacht clubs, water sport and outdoor centres) Organising talks with local groups (eg. Women s Institute, wildlife groups, yacht clubs) Representing Sea Watch at local events by manning a Sea Watch stall and talking to the public about Sea Watch, UK cetaceans and the Welsh Sea Watchers project Taking part in and organising events for national Sea Watch events such as National Whale and Dolphin Watch Promoting Sea Watch and the Welsh Sea Watchers project through social media such as Twitter and Facebook Recruiting volunteers School visits A few recent studies have indicated that British children have increasingly become disinterested in the natural world. Visiting 29

30 schools offers us the opportunity to enthuse children for nature and hopefully inspire them to get involved in conservation in the future. School visits typically last about an hour and comprise a talk and some short activities. Volunteers are free to organise school visits around their own schedule and are encouraged to contact schools on their own initiative. A list of schools can be downloaded from the Sea Watch website. If you do organise a school visit or talk, be sure to inform the Wales Development Officer. Presentations for talks as well as activity sheets and a short guide to school visits can be downloaded from the Welsh Sea Watchers page on the Sea Watch Website. 30

31 Logging volunteer hours Logging your hours is very important, as we need to keep track of for our records. Furthermore, it gives you a record of the work you have done and you will also receive a 50% discount on the New Quay training course once you have volunteered 200 hours of your time, so it is in your interest as well as ours to keep a careful account of the amount of time you have contributed You will be provided with an Excel spreadsheet in which you can record your hours, be sure to submit this sheet to the Wales Development Officer on a monthly basis. Please record every volunteering event, noting down date, time spent, location and what you were doing, even if it was just a few minutes, it all adds up 31

32 Online links and resources Sea Watch website: Sea Watch Facebook page: Sea Watch on Welsh Sea Watchers volunteer site: sea- watchers- volunteer- area/ Welsh Sea Watchers Facebook group: Welsh Sea Watchers Project on 32

33 Key contacts Katrin Lohrengel Wales Development Officer Mobile: Sea Watch Foundation Office Paragon House Wellington Place New Quay SA45 9NR 33

34 Annexe 1 Map of land watch sites Annexe 2 Useful links General weather forecasts BBC weather: Wind forecasts: XC Weather: Magic Seaweed: 34

35 Wind Guru: Tides: Tide table: Finding locations (lats & longs) Marine traffic: Annexe 3: Printables List of printables: 1. Welsh Sea Watchers Poster 2. Land based watch form 3. Boat based effort form 4. Boat based sightings form 5. Code of conduct 6. Cetacean ID guide 7. Guide to Sea States 35

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37 SWF/RF 4 Apr 2006 Page. of. LAND-BASED EFFORT RECORDING FORM Day/Month/Year Site Name Latitude ' N Longitude ' W E Obs. Name/Address Tel: Effort and Environmental Data: make a new record when environmental conditions change or when there is a break in effort. Effort Time (GMT or BST?) Sea Swell Wind Visibility Additional notes (e.g. boat activity) Start End state height direction Sightings: make a new record for each sighting start a new form if necessary. Sighting Time Species Confidence Group size Number of Number of Bearing Distance Behaviour Associated First seen Last seen calves juveniles seabirds DATA DEFINITIONS: Use categories provided below where possible. Continue on separate sheet if necessary Sea State: 0 = mirror calm; 1 = slight ripples, no foam crests; 2 = small wavelets, glassy crests, but no whitecaps; 3 = large wavelets, crests begin to break, few whitecaps; 4 = longer waves, many whitecaps; 5 = moderate waves of longer form, some spray; 6 = large waves, whitecaps everywhere, frequent spray; 7 = sea heaps up, white foam blows in streaks; 8 = long, high waves edges breaking, foam blows in streaks; 9 = high waves, sea begins to roll, dense foam streaks. Swell Height: Light = <1m; Moderate = 1-2 m; Heavy = >2 m Visibility: < 1km; 1-5 km; 6-10km; >10km Species Confidence: Definite; Probable; Possible Group size: give range from minimum to maximum estimate. Calves/Juveniles: Estimate numbers of smaller-sized animals relative to adult body size: calves < half adult size; juveniles > half adult size. Bearing and Distance should be at point of closest approach. Behaviour: Surfacing; Normal Swim; Fast Swim; Blow; Feeding; Leap/Breach; Tail Slap; Bow-ride; Rest/Milling; Sexual; Aggression. Associated seabirds: record only birds that are closely associated with cetaceans. Please return to Sea Watch Foundation, Paragon House, Wellington Place, New Quay SA45 9NR, sightings@seawatchfoundation.org.uk or to your Regional Group Co-ordinator. 37

38 WF/RF 5 Apr 2006 Page. of. VESSEL-BASED EFFORT RECORDING FORM RECORD AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, BUT REMEMBER THAT EVEN PARTIAL DATA MAY BE HELPFUL CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY. Date (dd/mm/yyyy): Vessel: Contact Name/Address: Tel/ Observer names: Start Time GMT / BST End Time Total Time.. Observer Height Above Sea Level (m) Field of View: 180 fwd; 90 L; 90 R; 360 (tick) TIME LATITUDE LONGITUDE BOAT SPEED EFFORT SEA SWELL VISIBILITY BOAT SIGHT. GMT/BST (degrees, decimal minutes) (degrees, decimal minutes) COURSE (knots) TYPE STATE HEIGHT ACTIVITY REF. DATA DEFINITIONS: Use categories provided below where possible Time: 24-hour clock; specify GMT or BST. Location: Record latitude and longitude (deg., decimal min. preferred) every 15 minutes or when course changes, if lat/long unavailable, note location in relation to local landmarks. Boat course: Record course as vessel heading not course over ground (as deg. magnetic). Speed: Record in knots, if available. Effort Type: OFF = end of effort or not watching; CASW = casual watching; DEDS = dedicated search; LINE = line transect. Sea State: 0 = mirror calm; 1 = slight ripples, no foam crests; 2 = small wavelets, glassy crests, but no whitecaps; 3 = large wavelets, crests begin to break, few whitecaps; 4 = longer waves, many whitecaps; 5 = moderate waves of longer form, some spray; 6 = large waves, whitecaps everywhere, frequent spray; 7 = sea heaps up, white foam blows in streaks; 8 = long, high waves edges breaking, foam blows in streaks; 9 = high waves, sea begins to roll, dense foam streaks. Swell Height: Light = 0-1 m; Moderate = 1-2 m; Heavy = >2 m. Visibility: <1 km; 1-5 km; 6-10 km; >10 km. Boat Activity: Record No of each and type: NB = No boats, VE = unspecified vessel, YA = yacht, RB = row boat or kayak, JS = jet ski, SB = speed boat, MB = motor boat, FI = fishing boat, FE = ferry, LS = large ship, SV = seismic vessel, WS = warship. Sighting Reference: Refer to number(s) on Sighting Record Form. Please return to Sea Watch Foundation, Paragon House, Wellington Place, New Quay SA45 9NR or to your Regional Group Co-ordinator For more info contact sightings@seawatchfoundation.org.uk or call or visit 38

39 SWF/RF 2 Apr 2006 Page... of... VESSEL-BASED SIGHTINGS RECORDING FORM RECORD AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, BUT REMEMBER THAT EVEN PARTIAL DATA MAY BE HELPFUL CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY. Date (dd/mm/yyy) Contact name / address Phone Boat name Journey Description Sea State Swell Height Visibility Trip Start Time GMT / BST End Time Observer Height Above Sea Level (m) Field of View: 180 fwd; 90 L; 90 R; 360 (tick) Ref. TIME LOCATION SPECIES CONF. TOTAL NO. NO. BEARING DIST. TO BEHAVI REACTION ANIMAL ASSOC. OBSERV No. BST/GM (Latitude & longitude if possible) NO. CALVES JUVES ANIMAL ANIMAL OUR HEADING SEABIRDS NAME DATA DEFINITIONS: Use categories provided where possible. Sea State: 0 = mirror calm; 1 = slight ripples, no foam crests; 2 = small wavelets, glassy crests, but no whitecaps; 3 = large wavelets, crests begin to break, few whitecaps; 4 = longer waves, many whitecaps; 5 = moderate waves of longer form, some spray; 6 = large waves, whitecaps everywhere, frequent spray; 7 = sea heaps up, white foam blows in streaks; 8 = long, high waves edges breaking, foam blows in streaks; 9 = high waves, sea begins to roll, dense foam streaks. Swell Height: Light = 0-1 m; Moderate = 1-2 m; Heavy = >2 m. Visibility: <1 km; 1-5 km; 6-10 km; >10 km.reference No.: Number each sighting sequentially to allow for cross-reference with effort or additional notes. If a repeat sighting, use the same number as for the first sighting of the group. Time: 24-hour clock; circle BST or GMT. Location: Record latitude and longitude (deg., decimal min. preferred), if lat/long unavailable, note location in relation to local landmarks. Species: Give the best judgement of species ID; use general categories if unsure (e.g. dolphin species). Confidence: Definite; Probable; Possible. Total No.: Give range if unsure of exact number. Calves/Juveniles: Estimate counts of different sized animals relative to adult body size (calves up to 50% adult size, juveniles 50-75%). Bearing: Degrees (magnetic). Distance to animal: Metres. Behaviour: Surfacing; Normal Swim; Fast Swim; Blowing; Feeding; Leap/breaching; Tail slap; Spy-hop; Bow-ride; Rest/Milling; Aggression; Sexual. Reaction: POS (attracted to boat); NEG (avoided boat); NON (no response observed). Animal heading: Note general direction of movement, or whether direction is variable. Seabirds: Note seabirds closely associated with the animals; record species of bird, if known, and number of birds. Please return to Sea Watch Foundation, Paragon House, Wellington Place, New Quay SA45 9NR or to your Regional Group Co-ordinator For more info contact sightings@seawatchfoundation.org.uk or call or visit 39

40 Marine'Code'of'Conduct' Increasingly,-whales-and-dolphins-around-the-world-are-facing-modern-pressuresupon- their- environment- - pollution,- accidental- capture- in- fishing- nets,- and- disturbance-from-vessels,-particularly-high:speed-craft.- Recreational-activities-in-inshore-waters-have-burgeoned-recently,-and-can-posea-major-threat-to-whales-and-dolphins-either-by-direct-injury-when-animals-areaccidentally-cut-by-the-boat s-propeller,-or-by-interference-or-stress-caused-fromthe-high-frequency-sounds-made-by-the-vessel s-motor.- There-is-no-reason-why-boats-and-dolphins-should-not-be-able-to-co:exist-if-care- is-taken-to-observe-the-following-rules:- If-you-sight-dolphins-at-a-distance,-make-forward-progress-maintaining-asteady- speed,- slowing- down- to- six- knots- or- less- when- you- are- within- a- kilometre-of-them.- Do- not- chase- dolphins,- drive- a- boat- directly- towards- them- or- encirclethem;- wherever- possible,- let- them- approach- you.- If- they- choose- to- bow: ride,-maintain-a-steady-speed-and-course.- Do- not- respond- to- them- by- changing- course- or- speed- in- a- sudden- orerratic- manner;- slowing- down- or- stopping- suddenly- can- confuse- and- alarm-dolphins-as-much-as-sudden-acceleration.- Allow- groups- of- dolphins- to- remain- together.- Avoid- deliberately- driving- through,-or-between,-groups-of-cetaceans.- Avoid-close-approach-to-dolphins-with-young.-You-risk-disrupting-mother: calf- bonds- and- expose- inexperienced- young- to- stress- and- possible- boat- strikes.- Do- not- swim- with,- touch- or- feed- dolphins,- for- your- safety- and- theirs.- Beside-the-stress-you-can-cause-them,-remember-that-just-as-in-humans,- diseases- can- be- spread- by- close- contact,- and- dolphins- are- larger- than- humans-and-can-cause-unwitting-injury.- Ensure-that-no-more-than-two-vessels-are-within-a-kilometre-of-dolphinsat- any- one- time- and- no- more- than- one- boat- is- within- close- proximity.- Refrain-from-calling-other-vessels-to-join-you.- Always- allow- dolphins- an- escape- route.- Avoid- boxing- them- in- between- vessels.- Move-away-slowly-if-you-notice- signs- of- disturbance,- such- as- repeatedavoidance- behaviour,- erratic- changes- in- speed- and- direction,- or- lengthy- periods-underwater.- Possible-sources-of-noise-disturbance-can-be-avoided-by-ensuring-speedsare-never-greater-than-ten-knots,-and-by-keeping-the-engine-and-propellerwell- maintained.- On- the- other- hand,- care- should- be- taken- to- avoidcollision- with- dolphins- when- using- sailing- boats- and- boats- with- lowengine- noise,- as- the- animals- are- less- likely- to- hear- the- vessel- until- it- is- close.- People- regularly- using- vessels- in- areas- where- dolphins- are- known- tooccur- should- consider- fitting- propeller- guards- to- minimise- the- risk- ofinjury-to-dolphins.- 40

41 Whales and dolphins around the British Isles I Long Finned Pilot Whale Harbour Porpoise Small and stocky, m Small triangular dorsal fin Dark grey or brown colour No beak, no forehead bulge Unobtrusive Usually in small groups or individuals Commonest in South-west Small dolphin, m Dorsal fin slender & curved Hourglass pattern on sides Lower flanks cream, pale grey behind Streamlined body, slender beak Breaches and bow-rides Mainly black whale, 4-6m Bulbous rounded head Low backwards pointing dorsal fin Long flippers (front fins) Usually in tight compact schools More often seen in deeper water Very large, males grow to 9m Noticeably black and white Distinct white oval patch behind eyes Pale saddle-patch behind dorsal fin Males have very tall erect dorsal fin Acrobatic, fast and active, breaches Most common baleen whale in UK Large, 7-9m long; triangular head Curved dorsal fin 2/3rds along back Brief arching roll Large white stripe across flippers Often seen quite close to shore Killer Whale or Orca Common Dolphin Minke Whale Bottlenose Dolphin Large, robust dolphin, up to 4m Large central curved dorsal fin Uniform grey or brown colour Pale undersides Distinct short beak, rounded forehead Acrobatic, breaches and bow-rides Common in N. Sea / N.W. Britain Stocky dolphin, m Black with white on sides and over back behind fin Tall, curved dorsal fin. Short, thick beak, white-tipped Breaches and bow-rides Fin Whale White-beaked Dolphin Huge baleen whale, 18-24m White right lower jaw; pointed head Long, slow shallow roll Small dorsal fin seen soon after blow Tall cone-shape blow, up to 6m high Usually seen offshore in deeper waters Please report sightings to Sea Watch Foundation sightings@seawatchfoundation.org.uk, Tel: , Web: Photographs copyright of J. Benney, D.M. Burn, R. Hays, S. Hooker, S. Kraus, P.G.H. Evans and The Sea Watch Foundation. Design: J. Galpin, Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch. With support from Whales and dolphins around the British Isles III Harbour Porpoise Humpback Whale Common Dolphin Sperm Whale Robust whale, m Low fin 2/3 1.4 along the back Smalldorsal and stocky, - 1.8m Knobs on head and lower Small triangular dorsal fin jaw Long white markings Dark flippers grey or with brown colour Tail has serrated edge bulge and is white No beak, no forehead underneath Unobtrusive May breach, lobtail and flipper slap Usually in small groups or individuals Large deep-water toothed whale, 8.3Commonest in South-west 15.8m Smallmuch dolphin, 1.6than - 2.5m Male larger female, huge Dorsal fin slender curved square head, small&lower jaw Hourglass pattern on sides Cigar-shaped, skin corrugations Lowerdistinct flanks cream, paledorsal grey hump behind Small triangular Streamlined body, slender Bushy blow up to 5m high, beak directed Breaches and and to bow-rides forwards left Killer Whale or Orca Whale Northern Bottlenose Rare visitor from deep waters Mainly black whale, 4-6m Slender dark grey whale, m Bulbous rounded V-shaped, slightly head arched head Lowdorsal backwards pointing dorsal fin Tall fin erect, strongly sickle Long flippers (front fins) shaped and 2/3 along back Usually in tightblow, compact schools Vertical, bushy 3m high More oftenshows seen in deeper Fin usually same timewater as blow Rare, offshore species Very large, males grow to 9m Long, robust cylindrical whale, 7-9m Noticeably black and white Bulbous forehead Distinct white oval patch behind eyes Short dolphin-like beak Pale saddle-patch behind dorsal fin Tall, erect, hooked dorsal fin Males have very tall erect dorsal fin Body chocolate to olive brown Acrobatic, fast and active, breaches Slightly forward pointing bushy blow Minke Whale Atlantic White-sided Dolphin Bottlenose Dolphin Risso s Dolphin White-beaked Dolphin Cuvier s Beaked Whale Long Finned Pilot Whale Sei Whale Rare, deep-(warm)water Common in N. Sea / N.W.species Britain Long, whale 6.9m Stockyrobust dolphin, m Small head, concaved Black sloping with white on slightly sides and over Triangular, hooked dorsal fin back behindslightly fin Back dark rust brown, Tall, curved dorsal fin.grey or fawn In olderthick adults, almost white head and Short, beak, white-tipped of neck back Breaches and bow-rides Offshore species, oftenwhale in large groups Most common baleen in UK Small - 2.6m Large,dolphin, 7-9m 2.1 long; triangular head Dorsal tall and Curvedfindorsal fin curved 2/3rds along back Sloping black head Brief arching roll and black on back Cream/white into yellow patches Large white stripe acrossflank flippers No white on quite back behind Often seen close tofin shore Breaches and occasionally bow-rides Large up to 3.8m Large,dolphin, robust dolphin, up to 4m Mature adults curved very pale to white. Large central dorsal fin Often heavily to fin Uniform grey scarred or brownhead colour Tall dorsal fin Palecurved undersides Large rounded head,rounded no beakforehead Distinct short beak, Breaches spy-hops Acrobatic,and breaches and bow-rides Fin Whale Beaked Whale Sowerby s Rare, deep-water whale Huge baleen whale, m Slender dark grey body, - 5.5m White right lower jaw; pointed head Small head, slightly concaved forehead Long,slender slow shallow Long beak roll Small dorsal fin seen soon afterfrom blow Two flattened teeth protruding Tall cone-shape blow, up tomales 6m high middle of lower jaw in adult Usually seen offshorehooked in deeper Triangular or slightly fin waters Please report sightings to Sea Watch Foundation sightings@seawatchfoundation.org.uk, Tel: , Web: Photographs copyright of J. Benney, D.M. Burn, R. Hays, S. Hooker, S. Kraus, P.G.H. Evans and The Sea Watch Foundation. Design: J. Galpin, Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch. 41 With support from

42 Sea State Scale Force 0: sea like a mirror Force 2: small wavelets Force 4: small waves, frequent white horses Force 1: ripples Force 3: large wavelets, a few whitehorses Force 5: moderate waves, many white horses Force 6: large waves, white foam crests Force 7: sea heaps up, waves break Sea Watch Foundation Cymru, Paragon House, Wellington Place, New Quay, Ceredigion, SA45 9NR Tel: info@seawatchfoundation.org.uk Web: 42