Marine Life & Conservation
My Summer as National Whale and Dolphin Watch Assistant for Sea Watch Foundation
Last summer I was lucky enough to spend my time studying dolphins and helping to organise a UK wide event surveying dolphins. Within this fantastic role as National Whale and Dolphin Watch (NWDW) Assistant, I got to talk to hundreds of different people from around the country and all different walks of life, as well as spending my days watching dolphins from my office window!
I applied to volunteer with the Sea Watch Foundation during the end of 2016, desperate to use my passion for cetaceans (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) in the UK. New Quay was perfect, a lovely view of dolphins in their natural habitat from my desk and hardly a minutes’ walk to the pier where dolphins could be seen nearly daily. Sea Watch’s Sightings Officer took a huge chance on me, as the youngest person all season, and one of the only undergraduates, I’m glad I didn’t disappoint! Having the chance to work with different people from all walks of life was amazing! I was surrounded by talking cheat codes on how to thrive in marine conservation.
My summer with Sea Watch allowed me learn so many new skills and get some great experience in event management and being organised! As well as getting to spend countless hours assisting with vital research on one of only two resident pods of Bottlenose Dolphins in the UK.
I made contacts all around the country and learn such amazing things, from the first minke sighting of the season in Yorkshire, to how often pods of 50+ bottlenose dolphins are spotted in the Channel Islands. I gained such an appreciation for the vast variety and abundance of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) around the UK, helped from the wonderful regional coordinators that Sea Watch have, as well as the different students and interns that join the team in New Quay each summer.
The first half of my time with Sea Watch was a lot of admin, currently I have sent over 3000 emails in the six months I’ve been here, posted over 200 watch packs, and publicised countless events. It’s not all emails and paperwork though! I got to channel my artistic side with posters and leaflets, even helping decorate statues for our local events!
Apart from my NWDW jobs, I also got to take part in training courses, surveys, and public engagement! It’s lucky I love talking, though I’m sure people wish I talked less about dolphins. Now that our season in New Quay is over, I’m sure the locals definitely appreciate me not walking into their stores with a different event to advertise every couple of weeks!
National Whale and Dolphin Watch is an enormous time for Sea Watch, it’s an extra push during the summer to involve and educate more people. With events taking place all around the country, and fun games and activities every day in New Quay, it’s the most tiring and fun week I’ve ever have! Even if it rains most days like it did this year!
After NWDW finishes, you’ll be chasing people for their effort forms, apologising for the typical British weather, and beginning the almost endless job of data entry. Data entry might sound dull, but it’s fantastic, you get to learn what everyone saw, as well as the odd amusing comments, like a daring jellyfish rescue! Plus if you’re like me, you’ll love seeing how many hours were completed compared to others, as well as watching your species count go up and up…
After NWDW, I spent a lot of my time completing data entry, getting exciting as our species count went up and up, finishing with 11 different species during our 2017 NWDW. To find out more about last years’ results the report is here.
Working with the Sea Watch Foundation gave me a new found appreciation for the importance of education and awareness, especially within the UK, as people seem blinded to the fact we do get lots of different cetacean species! My summer in New Quay was, exhausting, rewarding, inspiring and utterly unforgettable! But don’t just take my word for it, why not apply and see for yourself..!
For more information about the Sea Watch Foundation please visit their website by clicking here.
Photo credits: Sea Watch Foundation
The Shark Trust is excited to announce that, for two more days only, all donations, large or small, will be doubled in the Big Give Green Match Fund!
Donate to Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants
The Shark Trust is hoping to raise £10k which will be doubled to £20k. This will go towards Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants. And they need YOUR help to reach they’re goal.
The Shark Trust’s citizen science project is to monitor and assess basking sharks through sightings; encouraging data collection, community engagement, and promoting nature accessibility. This initiative aims to enhance health and wellbeing by fostering a deeper connection with British Sharks.
Campaign Aims
- Increase citizen science reporting of Basking Sharks and other shark sightings to help inform shark and ray conservation.
- Provide educational talks about the diverse range of sharks and rays in British waters and accessible identification guides!
- Create engaging and fun information panels on how to ID the amazing sharks and rays we have on our doorstep! These can be used on coastal paths around the Southwest. With activities and information on how you can make a difference for sharks and rays!
- Promote mental wellbeing through increasing time in nature and discovering the wonders beneath the waves!
Donate, and double your impact. Click Here
Marine Life & Conservation
Leading UK-based shark conservation charity, the Shark Trust, is delighted to announce tour operator Diverse Travel as a Corporate Patron
Corporate Patrons provide a valuable boost to the work of The Shark Trust. The Trust team works globally to safeguard the future of sharks, and their close cousins, the skates and rays, engaging with a global network of scientists, policymakers, conservation professionals, businesses and supporters to further shark conservation.
Specialist tour operator Diverse Travel has operated since 2014 and is committed to offering its guests high quality, sustainable scuba diving holidays worldwide. Working together with the Shark Trust will enable both organisations to widen engagement and encourage divers and snorkellers to actively get involved in shark conservation.
“Sharks are truly at the heart of every diver and at Diverse Travel, we absolutely share that passion. There is nothing like seeing a shark in the wild – it’s a moment that stays with you forever!” says Holly Bredin, Sales & Marketing Manager, Diverse Travel.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th year of business by becoming a Corporate Patron of the Shark Trust. This is an exciting partnership for Diverse and our guests. We will be donating on behalf of every person who books a holiday with us to contribute towards their vital shark conservation initiatives around the world. We will also be working together with the Trust to inspire divers, snorkellers and other travellers to take an active role – at home and abroad – in citizen science projects and other activities.”
Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, said:
“It’s an exciting partnership and we’re thrilled to be working with Diverse Travel to enable more divers and travellers to get involved with sharks and shark conservation. Sharks face considerable conservation challenges but, through collaboration and collective action, we can secure a brighter future for sharks and their ocean home. This new partnership takes us one more valuable step towards that goal.”
For more information about the Shark Trust visit their website here.
For more about Diverse Travel click here.
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