Shorewatch News A. Contents

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1 Shorewatch News A Watch out for whales and dolphins from your local shore Issue 26 - Autumn 2017 Chris Wilmnshurst, Nairn Contents Moray Firth Minke Report BWW September Review Harbour Porpoise Sightings: June vs September Shorewatch Goodbyes Ganges River Dolphin Webinar Summary Bycatch Update from Julia Thoms Tiumpan Watching with David

2 We couldn t do it without your help Cetaceans are incredible creatures, with an astounding level of intelligence. These amazing mammals are more like humans than you might think; they have the ability to pass on essential knowledge to their young, they are highly social creatures and play just for fun. Unfortunately, they still need our help. Dolphins, whales and porpoises are still suffering as a result of human activities. WDC want to achieve 5 things for whales and dolphins 1. STOP THE KILLING OF WHALES AND DOLPHINS We work internationally to stop the killing of thousands of whalesand dolphins every year despite aban on commercial whaling 2. FREE WHALES AND DOLPHINS FROM A LIFE IN TANKS We want an end to captivity and we work to end captive shows around the globe PROTECT THE HOMES OF WHALES AND DOLPHINS We work with governments and provide the scientific evidence to create protected areas where whales and dolphins live PREVENT DEATHS IN NETS We work with communities and industries to prevent whales and dolphins from dying in nets or fishing gear PROMOTE THE RIGHTS OF WHALES AND DOLPHINS We believe whales and dolphins have the right to live as nature intended not as humans decide Did you know? The largest species of dolphin is actually a Killer Whale (Orca)

3 Shorewatch Update Moray Firth Minke Report Does our Shorewatch data reflect the popular theory that minke whales will be seen most frequently in summer and early autumn? Yes. Overall our minke sightings are low and our encounter rates are not statistically significant but the below table shows a clear trend reflecting minke sightings between June and October, even when compared to months with relatively similar effort: April and May. We are now trialing sites in the Moray Firth where our minke encounter rate could be significant. This requires locations with good height and where minkes come closer to shore.we are particularly looking at sites near the western end of the Southern Trench which runs between Banff and Fraserburgh all sites Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Shorewatches Sightings on effort Encounter rate Casual Sightings Isle of Skye Shorewatch Sites WDC/Charlie Phillips It s official! There are now two new Shorewatch sites on the Isle of Skye, located in Armadale and at Kilt Rock.The first Skye Shorewatchers were trained in September and we can t wait to see what sightings they record! Katie Dyke Did you know? Minke whales have earned the nickname Stinky Minke because of the less than appealing gaseous smell that comes out of their blowhole!

4 Shorewatch Science: BWW Round Up We did 187 watches over the weekend! 33 volunteers were involved We had 42 sightings 6 species of cetacean were seen Monika Carrie A big THANK YOU to everyone who got involved with Big Watch Weekend in September. You did an incredible 187 watches, over 15 different Shorewatch sites! Cetacean sightings included bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, white-beaked dolphin, harbour porpoise, and a possible cuviers beaked whale (a first for BWW)! COMPETITION WINNERS: Most watches: Liz Brooker (again!) with 28 - well done Liz! Closely followed by Colin Graham (20) Walter Innes (18) and Graham Kidd (16). Most Watches By Site: Tiumpan Head with 34 across the double site, and also Cullen with 28 watches at the single site. Earliest watch: Graham Kidd (5.49am AND 6am on consecutive days), closely followed by Ian Williams who was up at 6.15am! A Plastic Ocean Film Screening This BWW we held a screening of the film A Plastic Ocean (available on Netflix).It highlighted the major problems associated with marine plastic pollution in our environment and the negative impacts it is having on our marine wildlife and our own health. The WDC Interns have written a blog about their Plastic Free Challenge that you can find on the WDC Website. Pippa Stevens, Rodel Did you know? It is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic by weight in the ocean than fish.

5 Shorewatch Science: BWW Effort PORPOISE SIGHTINGS ON BWW: JUNE VS SEPTEMBER After September s Big Watch Weekend, a few Shorewatchers noticed a higher abundance of harbour porpoise sightings compared with June. Therefore we have decided to compare harbour porpoise sightings between the two weekends on the map below. The table below also shows that overall encounter rate was higher in September, and although less Shorewatches were carried out, more individual harbour porpoise were recorded. # Watches # Sites # Porposie positive sites #Individuals Recorded (SW) # Individuals Recorded (Casual) Encounter Rate (ER) June September CROMARTY: 8 Key: June 2017 September 2017 RHUE: 12 ST JOHNS POINT: 39 RODEL: 41 BURGHEAD: 17 CULLEN: 6 Did you know? Harbour porpoise have the ability to dive to a depth of 655 feet, however, they usually stay near the surface.

6 Shorewatch News Goodbye from Anna and Emma The time has almost arrived for the sun to set on an incredible 8 months at Spey Bay - and what an adventure it has been! We have had the opportunity to explore an amazing twenty one different Shorewatch sites across Scotland, and between us we ve spotted a whopping ten different species of cetacean (not to brag)! Nick Burton Thanks to all of you, the Shorewatch volunteers, without you there would be no need to have two Shorewatch interns - so we are eternally grateful! Thank you for your generosity, enthiusasm, and continued motivation to the Shorewatch programme. We hope to cross paths with you all again at some point, and we both agree that whenever we re anywhere near a site, we ll most definetly be carrying out a Shorewatch. When we ve not been assisting Katie with Shorewatch, we have talked with and educated many members of the public about the work of WDC and why it is so important. Trying to change peoples perceptions hasn t always been easy, but when you succeed it is so worth it! Katie, it has been an absoloute pleasure to be your glamorous assistants this year, thank you for all the continued support and opportunities you have given us! And thank you to all the staff at the SDC & our fellow interns; we ve had a blast! Ganges River dolphin in Nepal Thanks to Shambhu Paudel for his very interesting and informative webinar on the Ganges River Dolphin in Nepal. There are only 28 individuals left in three of Nepal s river systems, and they are under threat from human activities, including fishing and hydrological developments. Post-monsoon season in Nepal is a particularly critical time for the Ganges river dolphin; The very low water levels, combined with the above human activities, makes survival even more challenging. However, work is being done to reduce the impacts of these negative interactions with human activities and to involve local communities in their conservation. Community engagement work to generate livelihood diversification through training people in skills using locally available resources will hopefully alleviate pressure on the Ganges river dolphin populations in Nepal. Regular monitoring through a Dolphin Watch Group (just like Shorewatch!) will help researchers to better understand the activities and areas important to the Ganges river dolphin and raise awareness for these amazing creatures among local communities. Grant Abel If you missed this webinar, you can watch it online by going on the Forum section of the database. Find out about other webinars taking place over the next couple of months in Save the Date at the end of the newsletter. Did you know? Right whales were so named because whalers thought they were the right whale to hunt.

7 Shorewatch News Bycatch Campaign Update by Julia Thoms What s next for UK dolphins, porpoises and whales? And how you can help... In our summer issue, we told you about our campaign to get strong laws to protect dolphins, porpoises and whales in UK seas. If you were one of the amazing 75,535 people who signed our Care2 petition, I d like to say a massive thank you on behalf of everyone at WDC. Thousands of dolphins, porpoises and whales die a horrific death around the UK every year when they get trapped in fishing nets and gear. Known as bycatch this is the single biggest threat to whales and dolphins globally. On 6 September, 2017 we took our petition to Parliament where we presented it to UK Fisheries Minister, George Eustice. It was a privilege to represent you and everyone else who wants to stop these needless and preventable deaths. We were delighted that MPs and peers, collectively from the Conservative, Labour and Green Parties came to support us, and colleagues from within government, nature conservation agencies, fellow NGOs, fishing industry representatives, funders and WDC supporters were with us to back our cause. The Minister gave a speech in which we were pleased to hear him make a commitment to bring together government, NGOs, the fishing industry and civil society to agree practical solutions. Now we must keep up the pressure and make sure that dolphins, porpoises and whales remain high on the political agenda. We are working hard to improve European protection measures as they are currently flawed. This is an important part of our campaign as whatever is agreed at EU level is likely to be what comes across into UK law after Brexit. We need to make sure that legislation is fit-for-purpose.we are likely to ask for your help in January when we expect a new Fisheries Bill to be debated in Parliament. We will need you to urge your MP to support strong protection for dolphins, porpoises and whales so that together we can stop these senseless deaths. To make sure we can let you know when we need you to act, please sign up to WDC s newsletter at whales.org/newsletter. WDC/Rob Lott Did you know? An estimated 285 common dolphins and between harbour porpoises died in UK gillnets in 2016 WDC/Rob Lott

8 Shorewatch News Island Adventure with David Anderson Well that was fun! During July and August I was lucky enough to become part of WDC s Shorewatch team on the Isles of Lewis and Harris for four weeks, and what a four weeks it was! In my day job I work for RSPB Scotland, delivering their landscape scale conservation project in the Inner Forth, but every five years RSPB provide their staff with the opportunity to work on a different conservation project in another part of the country for a few weeks. Having started my career in wildlife conservation with WDC (back in the days when it was still WDCS!), it seemed only right that I give a little back after they had helped me get started on my dream career. So that is how I came to be gallivanting around the Outer Hebrides for four weeks in the summer, carrying out dolphin surveys, helping volunteers and supporting WDC staff. It was a brilliant four weeks, and far too much happened to put in to a short article so below I pick out a few of the highlights. The Volunteers I had some amazing experiences right the way through my time on Lewis and Harris but by far the most inspiring thing about my time on the islands was the dedicated and inspiring group of volunteers that work on the Shorewatch project. They welcomed me in to their group, shared their experiences of the project and laid on a superb picnic (see picture). Their knowledge and expertise was vital when I struggled to identify a species, and their good humour (and fantastic stories) never failed to light up a dull day! David Anderson Did you know? There are 89 living species of cetacean worldwide, 28 of which have been recorded in UK waters.

9 Shorewatch News David Anderson David Anderson The Whales and Dolphins I could not write an article like this and not mention the central reason for me being there, the whales and dolphins themselves. I have seen whales and dolphins in a few different places across the world, including India and California, but I can honestly say that some of the views I had off Lewis and Harris were amongst the best I have experienced.. actually scratch that, they were the best I have experienced. Whether it was the dozen or so common dolphins bow-riding during a boat trip on flat calm waters, Risso s dolphins foraging only metres from the shoreline, or the white-beaked dolphins providing truly spectacular displays of acrobatics off Tiumpan Head, the Outer Hebrides did not disappoint. The Islands What can I say about Lewis and Harris? I was truly won over by their beauty, their wildness and the wonderful people (even the weather wasn t too bad!). I spent my first week on the island traveling around to different areas getting in as much training and practice as I could and I can honestly say I was blown away. The beaches and mountains of Harris were incredible, the sea vistas off Tiumpan head incredible, but there will be one place that will truly stick in my mind for the rest of my life. At the start of my last week on the island I went over to Brenish on the west coast of Lewis with my girlfriend. We camped on a deserted beach over-looking the Atlantic ocean, one of the most stunning spots I could imagine, and not a bad place in which to get engaged. So yes, I think Lewis will always have a special place in my heart. It was a wonderful experience and I cannot thank WDC enough for giving me this opportunity, a brilliant way to spend the summer. Did you know? Narwhals have the least teeth with just two (thank you Wendy)

10 Shorewatch Calander Save the Date Upcoming Webinars: Talk on Grey Whales by Anna Bruenicle 11th October 7pm My Sabbatical at Tiumpan Head, Isle of Lewis by David Anderson 7th November 7pm Marine Protected Areas by Erich Hoyt December (TBC) If you would like to attend any of these Webinars please with details of which you would like to sign up to. Upcoming Events: 24th October Farewell Moray Firth Trail; come and say goodbye to Anna and Emma, the Shorewatch Interns, on a trail across the Moray Firth. 14th December Moray Firth Shorewatch Christmas Social Join us for Christmas dinner and a quiz in Elgin. If you want to organise a Christmas Social in your local area please let us know and we can help with this! Emma Steel Did you know? The 28 boto species (Amazon of cetacean River can dolphin) be seen are around the only the species coast of dolphin Scotlandto have different types of teeth in their mouths - front teeth for chewing and back teeth for crushing.

11 Shorewatch FAQs Getting confused with the Shorewatch protocol? Here are some frequently asked questions to help you out. You can find more questions and answers on the Shorewatch website at www. (under Get involved ), or give us a call on / drop us an at shorewatch@whales.org Do I need to write ID cues even when I m 100% sure what species I m seeing? Yes, please! Your ID cues may help us to confirm an identity and they will also give us an idea of what you (and other Shorewatchers) are noticing in the field so that we can update our trainings and refreshers appropriately. How should I record numbers when there are separate groups? If you are clear that there are two separate groups, record each in a separate sighting row and note the number and other sighting details for each group in the relevant row. It is best to note in the comments that you had multiple sightings during your watch. What do I do if I am disturbed in the middle of my Shorewatch? Shorewatch is 10 minutes of concentrated effort. If a member of the public starts speaking to you during your Shorewatch, explain that you need to keep your eyes on the sea for 10 minutes and invite them to help you watch. If you take your eyes off the watch area for any length of time, the Shorewatch will not be valid. Please indicate that the watch was not completed on the data sheet. If environmental conditions change dramatically during your watch or there is some other disturbance you may also need to stop your Shorewatch and indicate this on the data sheet. What do I do if I see two distinct groups of cetaceans on a Shorewatch? Two distinct groups of cetaceans should be recorded as two separate sightings on different lines of the Cetacean Sighting Data Sheet. This is also the case if two different species are seen during a Shorewatch. What if I see the same group of animals during a second Shorewatch? If you have not left the area between Shorewatches and are 100% sure this is the same group of animals then you do not need to record details of this sighting again. Record the cetaceans were present during the second Shorewatch on the front of the data sheet. On the back of the data sheet edit your sighting end time to make it clear that your sighting lasted for the time between your two watches. When do I need to record feeding birds? Record only rafts of feeding birds i.e. when a large group of birds are circling and diving in a particular area. This indicates that there is some activity happening below the surface of the water. The reticule lines on my binoculars are different sizes are some halves? No. Even though some of the lines are smaller they are all equal to one reticule. Did you know? As much as 200kg of barnacles and lice make their homes on a gray whales body, with the lice feeding on the whales dead skin.

12 Pick of the pics National Geographic Right Whale Did you know? A newborn blue whale weighs about the same as a hippopotamus!