Cetacean and Seabird Annual Report: 2017

Transcription

1 Cetacean and Seabird Annual Report: 2017

2 MARINElife Cetacean and Seabird Annual Report: 2017 MARINElife is a charity dedicated to the conservation of marine wildlife through research and educational activities, with the core of activity being sea surveys for whales, dolphins and seabirds by skilled volunteer recorders. To learn more about the work of MARINElife, provide sponsorship, become a volunteer or request data please get in touch with one of our contacts listed below. They are waiting to hear from you! Rick Morris Charity sponsorship rick.morris@marine-life.org.uk Tricia Dendle General enquiries tricia.dendle@marine-life.org.uk Kate Redman Media Enquiries kate.redman@marine-life.org.uk Carol Farmer-Wright Surveys manager & volunteer recruitment carol.farmer-wright@marine-life.org.uk Libby Abbot Training events libby.abbott@marine-life.org.uk Wildlife Officer Programme Glynis Northwood-Long glynis.northwood-long@marine-life.org.uk Martin Kitching North East Cetacean Project martin.kitching@marine-life.org.uk Tom Brereton Data requests tom.brereton@marine-life.org.uk Rachel Davies Research projects rachel.davies@marine-life.org.uk Acknowledgements Thanks go out to all our supporters, surveyors, wildlife officers, trainers and volunteers and not forgetting our dedicated staff, who all work tirelessly fulfilling MARINElife s objective of conserving marine wildlife. A very special thank you goes to volunteer Robin Langdon for his outstanding contribution in developing our new data management system. We also thank our behind the scenes volunteers, Libby Abbot for her work in securing training venues, PR and newsletter editor Kate Redman, our survey routes and wildlife officer trips co-ordinators, also our blog editors, website updaters, data entry and data validators. We are indebted to our commercial and scientific partners; DFDS, P&O Ferries, JR Shipping, Seatruck, Stena Line, Condor Ferries, Naturetrek, Neptune Line, White Funnel Ltd (MV Balmoral), Landmark Trust (Lundy Island), CEFAS, JNCC and Natural England. Particular thanks to some of our project partner leads Alex Banks, Fiona McNie and Rebecca Walker (Natural England) and Jeroen van der Kooij (CEFAS). A special thanks to Neil Chillcot of The Riverside Restaurant, West Bay and to Stephen Dunstan, Graham Ekins, Martin Kitching, Peter Howlett and Adrian Shephard for photos used in the report. Finally, thank you to our patron, Maya Plass for being a great ambassador of the charity. Our sponsors and collaborators FRONT COVER Common Dolphins. Photo by Peter Howlett. Citation Brereton, T.M., Davies, R., Kitching, M., Williams, A.R. & Morris, R MARINElife Cetacean and Seabird Annual Report: MARINElife, Dorset.

3 Contents Introduction 4 News and features New data management system 5 CalMac surveys 5 Peltic surveys 2017 and future plans 6 Bottlenose Dolphins off south west England 6 Analysis of North Sea data 6 Marine Protected Areas Progress 7 MARINElife Wildlife Officer Programme 8 MARINElife How it all started 9 Survey programmes & methods Survey programmes 12 Survey methods 14 Results Highlights in Review of the year 18 Striped Dolphin. Photo by Graham Ekins.

4 Introduction One of our amazing volunteers - Trustee Peter Howlett completed the epic 37-day CEFAS Peltic cruise in Photo by Glynis Northwood-Long. MARINElife is a charity established in 2005, which is dedicated to the conservation of marine wildlife through research and educational activities. MARINElife grew out of the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme (BDRP), which was a survey and educational programme on a P&O ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao between A core area of MARINElife activity is effort-related surveys of dolphins, whales and seabirds made by experienced volunteers on a variety of vessels at sea in UK and bordering waters, from angling boats through to large commercial ferries. The work is done in partnership with a wide range of sponsoring bodies, from ecotourism operators through to research institutes and shipping companies. This report describes the results of MARINElife survey activity in MARINElife works collaboratively with other organisations which carry out surveys from ferries and other sea vessels through the European Cetacean Monitoring Coalition (ECMC), including the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) and ORCA. We aim to produce further MARINElife annual reports in subsequent years and work towards a wider analysis with ECMC data, as well looking at trends over time in the status of seabirds and cetaceans. MARINElife highlights in numbers 400 the number of MARINElife surveyors since the number of vessels MARINElife has conducted surveys on 34 the number of ferry routes monitored since the number of bird species seen since the proportion of the World s cetacean species 25% seen on surveys since 1995 million birds counted since 1995 MARINElife is an incredibly important charity that achieves great things with all the work that they do to research and conserve cetaceans and seabirds and the wider marine environment. They have an incredibly passionate and dedicated team of volunteers and staff who work towards their goals in marine conservation. Through this report, it is impressive to see what the charity has achieved over the years and how the research programme has grown from just a single survey route, to a large and well established network enabling a variety of survey types, producing high quality data and providing empirical evidence with real conservation implications. It is exciting to see the community of enthusiastic and experienced surveyors and volunteers grow and develop through training schemes. The Lundy training workshop, which I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of in the last 3 years, is a powerful reminder of what lovely people make MARINElife what it is, what great work they do and what amazing marine life we all share and can enjoy seeing around the UK. Come and join us! Broadcaster, marine biologist and MARINElife Patron, Maya Plass 4

5 News New data management system Since 2017 MARINElife staff, along with key volunteers, have been developing a new and improved data management system for all our survey data. Now carrying out over 100 surveys a year and covering tens of thousands of kilometres of survey effort generates a lot of valuable data, which needs to be acquired, validated and collated into one central database. This is no small task! We are excited to be launching STORM in March 2018, following rigorous testing, in order to make our data management processes more efficient and accurate, allowing timely reporting. STORM, developed with great input from dedicated MARINElife researcher Robin Langdon and support from Natural England, has four primary constituents: TEMPEST System manager and data loader; CICLONE Survey data validation tool; MONSOON Central MARINElife Database; and HURRICANE Report and query engine. The new MONSOON database, already holds data from ~466,000 km of survey effort carried out on over 980 separate surveys and is increasing every month as the last of the backlog is loaded alongside new surveys. A new data process (from ship to report) has been developed, and 3 new land-based, trained volunteer validator positions have been created. Alongside the launch of STORM in March 2018, MARINElife will also be releasing updated and improved survey packs, including an updated procedures handbook, improved data recording forms and an excellent new data entry file, to make the process easier and more accurate for our researchers. This also enables our teams to map and visualise their own survey effort and sightings immediately after data entry. CalMac Marine Awareness Programme Seabird surveys MARINElife are very excited to be teaming up with other partners of the CalMac Marine Awareness Project in 2018 with a pilot project starting Spring Initially operating on three selected CalMac ferry routes off western Scotland, the programme will involve monitoring both seabirds and cetaceans. MARINElife will be using its vast experience in ferry based research to coordinate the bird surveys. This will involve the coordination of ESAS trained researchers in carrying out monthly ESAS methodology surveys, liaising with CalMac ferries and also enabling MARINElife surveyors to volunteer on this route and train as ESAS surveyors, should they wish to become team leaders for this network. Our first entry of experienced MARINElife surveyors have already received ESAS training from the JNCC to become team leaders and mentors on this network, with Graham Ekins, Cheryl Leaning and Martin Kitching successfully completing their accreditation. We are very much looking forward to joining with JNCC and other partners to report on the data and findings of this programme. MARINElife will soon be recruiting for a new part-time member of staff to oversee surveyor coordination and development of this network, and we hope to be organizing more MARINElife training days in Scotland in the coming year. Minke Whale. Photo by Tom Brereton. 5

6 Peltic surveys 2017 and future plans The Peltic survey is led by the Government s Fisheries research Institute (CEFAS) and is a flagship multidisciplinary survey of the Western Channel and Celtic Sea waters which runs for several weeks each autumn and is focussed on pelagic fish assessments. MARINElife has been surveying seabirds and cetaceans as part of the survey annually since In , Natural England co-funded seabird surveys using European Seabirds at Sea methods, targeted at Balearic Shearwaters following earlier indication from MARINElife surveys of a potentially important area for the species west of Lundy. The 2017 Peltic survey proved to be yet another productive and exciting research cruise made over 37 days from 28th September to 4th November, with seven cetacean species and 74 bird species recorded. See Review of the year for full details. MARINElife are extremely pleased and grateful to continue this survey with the support of CEFAS on the Peltic programme in 2018, and we are currently investigating options to join more surveys on board the RV Endeavour, in the North Sea. Bottlenose Dolphins off south west England MARINElife have been studying Bottlenose Dolphins off south west England for more than a decade. Photoidentification images and data collected by MARINElife, AK Wildlife Cruises and Marine Discovery were recently analysed by MARINElife researchers, with a scientific paper published in the Journal of Marine Biology in A report for Natural England was also produced. As a result of the work the Coastal Western Channel has been designated as a management unit for this species - a geographical area in which the animals of a particular species are found, to which management of human activities is applied. A wider partnership is now involved in Bottlenose Dolphin work. MARINElife have become members of the South West Bottlenose Dolphin Consortium, with the Steering group coordinated by The Cornwall Wildlife Trust. Other partners alongside MARINElife include: The Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (ERCCIS), Exeter University, Plymouth University, Chelonia Ltd and Marine Discovery. The aim of this project is to collate existing evidence and co-ordinate Bottlenose Dolphin research off south west England, along with raising awareness of this local population and encourage further photo submissions from members of the public. MARINElife has contributed hundreds of images and sightings of over 100 known individuals to the partnership. In December 2017, analyses carried out by Rebecca Dudley, MRes student at the University of Plymouth, of data collated from all groups confirmed a resident group of approximately 28 Bottlenose Dolphins, who regularly use our inshore coastal waters and have a very distinct social group. Analysis of North Sea data MARINElife has been surveying for cetaceans in the North Sea since 2008, though a programme of small boat and ferry surveys. The data is being used in two projects part-funded by Natural England. Firstly, to evaluate the importance of north east England waters for White-beaked Dolphins and to determine whether the species needs adding as a conservation feature to any of the designated MCZs in the region or if there are any particular hotspots worthy of designation. White-beaked Dolphin is a species that is considered Fulmar. Photo by Tom Brereton. 6

7 to be threatened by climate change and is Priority Species for conservation action in England. Secondly to look at seasonal patterns in distribution and relative abundance of the most regularly occurring cetaceans in the North Sea. Most cetacean surveys are conducted during the summer months, and a big advantage of ferries is that they provide opportunities to (1) collect data year-round and (2) look at monthly and year to year patterns in status. The reports are close to completion and when published will be available on the MARINElife website. Progress in designating marine protected areas for White-beaked Dolphin and Balearic Shearwater off south west England The Government is committed to creating a third tranche of marine protected areas, known as Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). In partnership with the Wildlife Trusts, MARINElife has submitted a case for designating Lyme Bay as a MCZ for White-beaked Dolphin. This is one of 48 tranche 3 MCZs proposed by the Wildlife Trusts for English and Welsh waters This year, the government will launch a public consultation on proposals, with a view to designating new MCZs in In recent years, the UK government has been committed to strengthening the network Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in the marine environment. SPAs are designated under the European Union (EU) Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under this Directive, EU Member States have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and particular threatened birds, including Balearic Shearwaters. Natural England is responsible for recommending potential SPAs in English waters to Defra for classification. In partnership with Natural England and JNCC, MARINElife has been collecting data on Balearic Shearwaters to inform potential SPA selection since Regionally significant concentrations of Balearic Shearwaters have been found in Lyme Bay, off Portland Bill and west of Lundy. The future of nature conservation law after Brexit, when EU directives will no longer apply to Britain, has yet to be fully determined. However, under the recently produced 25 year Environment Plan the English Government remains committed to extending marine protected areas around our coasts. Work will continue in 2018, to build the evidence base on Balearic Shearwater occurrence in south west England waters. Bottlenose Dolphins. Photo by Tom Brereton. 7

8 MARINElife Wildlife Officer Program The Wildlife Officer (WLO) role is a public engagement position on selected MARINElife ferry routes and unlike our research surveyors working on the bridge, WLO s are out on deck engaging with fellow passengers. Our WLO s enjoy interacting with the passengers, offering help and advice on any wildlife that may be encountered on each trip. This gives the ideal opportunity to promote MARINElife and encourage people to become citizen scientists and submit their own marine wildlife sightings to us. Following work on the Portsmouth-Bilbo ferry , the current WLO program was reintroduced in 2013 aboard the MS Oldenburg travelling from Devon to Lundy Island and was very well received with both passengers and crew. As a result, we looked for other ferry operators to replicate this success and in 2014, we approached Condor Ferries, who kindly agreed to support and run mid-week wildlife trips to the Channel Islands as well as hosting special training trips for new WLO s. In 2016, White Funnel Ltd (MV Balmoral) also agreed to support our wildlife trips by having a WLO engage their passengers on a variety of trips departing from various locations around the UK. In 2017, thanks to our WLOs, we were able to carry out over 70 wildlife trips with our three ferry operators around the UK; from Poole to Guernsey on Condor Ferries Liberation, from Bideford or Ilfracombe to Lundy Island on MS Oldenburg and from various locations in Scotland, Wales and the South West on MV Balmoral. We will report more fully on sightings seen on these surveys in will see our WLOs once again take to the seas, unfortunately without the MV Balmoral as the ship needs repairs. We will however be on the MS Oldenburg every Saturday from April to October and on the Condor Liberation one day a week throughout April to September. If you would like to volunteer as a WLO and have the skills to identify marine mammals and seabirds please glynis.northwood-long@marine-life.org.uk for more information. You may also like to visit our sightings page on the website to see what species and also places of interest we see on these trips. White-beaked Dolphins. Photo by Martin Kitching. 8

9 MARINElife how it all started By MARINElife founder and Trustee, Andy Williams Britain has a long and proud history of ordinary people achieving extraordinary things. This is also the story of MARINElife its volunteers, supporters, sponsors and staff. As people we are naturally inquisitive and sometimes we just need to know the answer to something we don t understand. In 1994 (not so long ago) the Channel and the Bay of Biscay, might as well have been in a galaxy far far away for all that we knew about their marine mega fauna at the time. There was a paradox and it was this the scientific literature had recorded no cetacean or other marine mammals in offshore waters of the Channel for over 40 years. Yet I, as the rescue coordinator for a marine mammal rescue organisation, attended to porpoises, seals, dolphins and the occasional whale in the channel up to 15 times a year and I was also a visiting researcher at Durlston Country Park researching a semi resident population of Bottlenose dolphins. How could the two be true? I needed to know the answer to this paradox. I read everything there was on Channel marine mammals that took about 2 hours! I also got in contact with experts and others. I found out that during the World Wars people would hunt, kill and eat whales that were in the Channel but now there were none? When I rescued or recovered porpoises and dolphins, locals from Portsmouth to Weymouth would tell me how the seas around there used to be full of dolphins and porpoises, indeed one man told me that you could walk from Southsea to the Isle of Wight on dolphins (I took that to be apocryphal). I needed to find answers. What I realised was that everything we knew at that time had been gained from stranding data and from cliff top observations or a glimpse of the channel every few years from a scientific survey ship as it transited the area. Whilst valuable, this meant that coverage of the Channel was very poor indeed. Something needed to change if we were to resolve the Paradox. So in 1994 I contacted P&O Ferries in Portsmouth to see if I could transit the Channel on the Bridge of one of their ferries and in June that year I travelled to Le Havre. I saw nothing. What this experience taught me was that the methodology and route needed to change. That winter I spoke with P&O again and they agreed to provide passage for up to 3 researchers on a regular monthly survey along the Channel and into the Bay BDRP survey team, June Right to left: Andy Williams, Darren Fanner & Duncan Fyfe. Photo by Tom Brereton. P&O Portsmouth launch of the whale and dolphin identification board on the Pride of Bilbao, April Andy Williams (centre of picture). Photo by P&O Ferries. of Biscay aboard their cruise ferry the Pride of Bilbao starting in May of This was the start of our citizen science journey into the deep oceans that provided, and continues to provide, incredibly valuable data that the MARINElife science team continues to makes sense of in academic papers and in our annual reports. That first trip on the P&O Ferry, the Pride of Bilbao took place as a prize for the winner of a competition from BBC s Newsround. The winner (her mum, a film crew from the BBC and the glitterati of P&O) joined me on the bridge for the trip and while we had 15 different sightings none were recorded by the camera crew, a theme we would see repeatedly over time! What became apparent as a result of this first survey, was that in order to make these trips valuable in scientific terms, good observers and scientists with experience of undertaking surveys would be needed along with many 9

10 Cuvier s Beaked Whale. Photo by Tom Brereton. more volunteers. Prof. Tom Brereton and Rolf Williams came on board along with naturalists and researchers from the Durlston Country Park in Dorset. As time went on our cadre of volunteers grew. Over the next few years we realised that we were pioneers. We were undertaking regular deep sea transects using a platform of opportunity and we were doing it purely for research. Most of us were citizen scientists and modern explorers, albeit our explorations were done in great comfort and with a variety of restaurants to choose from! The discoveries came thick and fast in the first few years of the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme (BDRP), as it was then called, hit the headlines month after month. We had news slots, features on wildlife programmes, a Radio 4 programme dedicated to our work and I was the expert put in front of a camera to make sense of dolphin behaviour in a documentary called the Wild Side of Dolphins. However, the moment that made me realise how much of a difference to the understanding of offshore cetaceans we were making, was our first sighting of a Cuvier s Beaked Whale and what that led to. It happened just as we entered the deep water in the southern Bay of Biscay. A milk chocolate coloured, heavily scarred animal with a white head rose in front of the bow, dropped below the surface and rose again. As soon as I landed in the UK I reported the sighting to one of the UK s leading cetacean scientists and was surprised at his response. In short, the establishment knew that these animals were very rare and had hardly ever been seen alive at sea, so I couldn t have seen one. We had truly made a discovery and I realised that I had seen something very few people had ever seen alive at sea. 10 Luckily, the next trip I took what turned out to be the first photograph of a Cuvier s beaked whale alive at sea (except for one by Dr Steve Leatherwood that was a presumed Cuvier s Beaked Whale). It really was a game changer. Now everyone was interested in the Bay of Biscay. Having achieved so much in one year we wondered what could be achieved in the future. Over the next two years we became the most knowledgeable group in relation to Cuvier s Beaked Whales at sea and were involved in international crisis conferences, governmental and other discussions as a result of mass strandings of Cuvier s. Subsequently our data and some of our trained observers were involved in projects to prevent strandings of the species due to the effect of naval sonars. Our science and volunteers had brought us a long way. By 1998 we had identified distributions and seasonal variations in offshore dolphin species, we were seeing site fidelity in Cuvier s Beaked Whales and added Pigmy Killer Whales to the list of species in the Bay of Biscay extending their known northerly range by over 1,000miles. We had seen and recorded the behaviour of offshore Striped Dolphins in the presence of predators, recorded huge groups of Common Dolphins, seen Blue, Fin, Sperm and Humpback Whales on their northerly and southerly passages and noted that some Fin Whales stay in the Bay year round. These findings were published in a series of scientific papers in European Cetacean Society Conference Proceedings. Perhaps most importantly we had made people realise that the Bay of Biscay was a rich and vibrant place. This drew interest from numerous holiday companies and drove demand for Theme Cruises on the Pride of Bilbao so that people could meet the researchers and find out about our work. Having produced a bestselling video with Meridian TV and created a large display board for the weather

11 deck on the Pride of Bilbao the research team was increasingly in demand on board the Pride of Bilbao to meet people and give talks. As a result of this interest we decided to make sure that we reached out and let the world know what we were doing and discovering. In order to do this we created the first full time onboard Wildlife Liaison Officers (WLO s). By 2005 we had built a collaborative network of international research organisations known as the Atlantic Research Coalition (now re-named the European Cetacean Monitoring Coalition, ECMC) to share data and develop a consistent methodology for this type of survey. We had supported a number of Masters Students and had a PhD student working on the mass of Cuvier s Beaked Whale data we had gathered. We had identified that the Channel is a much richer place for cetacean species than previously thought and worthy of more in depth investigation and we started to look at variations in seasonal distributions and the potential link to climate change. We also estimated in that year MARINElife, through its work on the Pride of Bilbao including the WLO s work and Theme Cruises had informed or educated over 1,000,000 people. We had also answered the initial paradox the reason we thought there was nothing in the Channel was because no-one was looking. Furthermore, the name, the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme had become too limiting. We were so much more than studying dolphins on one ferry. It was time to broaden the scope through a new charity and in 2005 MARINElife was born. The WLO educational programme on the Pride of Bilbao engaged over 1 million people. Photo by Tom Brereton. 11

12 Survey programmes and methods Survey programmes The key focus of MARINElife is the collection of robust, independent data for use in conservation research and in describing the changing status of cetaceans and seabirds. This important work feeds into national and international reporting, education, public awareness raising and ultimately conservation advice and the advocacy work carried out by MARINElife. The research coordinated and run by our science team fall into a number of survey programmes, all incorporating strict and scrutinised scientific methodologies, in order to produce high quality, useful data to meet reporting and conservation requirements. Ferry surveys MARINElife s longest running survey programme, established in the mid-90s, has grown substantially over the last 20 years. From the first Portsmouth-Bilbao survey route, the network grew to eight routes by In 2018, MARINElife now operates on board 18 passenger and freight ferry routes carrying out monthly surveys through UK and European waters, on surveys lasting from one to seven days, covering 1,000s of kilometres of sea area each month. On board each ferry survey, our experienced researchers carry out effort-based surveys for both cetaceans and seabirds. Ferries offer excellent research platforms, providing year round opportunities to collect data, repeat visits within each season, a high and stable viewing point and a fixed route, while also being a cost effective means of accomplishing such survey coverage. Small boat surveys off south west England MARINElife also runs a programme of small boat surveys off south west England, especially in Lyme Bay. Using very similar methodology, small boat surveys enable a more targeted approach when investigating certain species or interest areas, and allows surveys at a higher resolution. Over the years MARINElife has conducted surveys in this region targeted towards both White-beaked Dolphin, and the south west Bottlenose Dolphin population. This work has enabled us to map the abundance and distribution of these species as well as others in the area, and provide robust evidence Carol Farmer-Wright, MARINElife s most prolific surveyor in 2017, conducting 3,695 km of survey effort over 26 days across eight ferry routes. Photo by Adrian Shephard. in support of the designation of marine conservation zones for mobile species (see News item). MARINElife has also carried out dedicated Balearic Shearwater surveys in this region, using both MARINElife and European Seabirds at Sea (ESAS) methodology to monitor use of UK coastal waters by this critically endangered species after the breeding season. The North East Cetacean Project (NECP) The NECP is a programme of small boat surveys led by Dr Martin Kitching, which aims to generate up-to-date information on the status of White-beaked Dolphin and other cetaceans off the Northumberland coastline, including Bottlenose Dolphin, Harbour porpoise and Minke Whale. The project has extended into Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Suffolk, and expanded to include the whole North Sea and its coastal areas, through a public sightings scheme. Over the last nine years, the NECP has mapped and reported on the distribution and abundance of White-beaked Dolphin and other cetaceans off the North east coast in collaboration with Natural England, ORCA and the Wildlife Trusts. White-beaked Dolphin and Bottlenose Dolphin photo-id catalogues have been developed and the data has been used to inform designations of local marine protected areas. 12

13 Research vessel surveys MARINElife has a strong relationship with The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS). This has enabled MARINElife researchers to make up the top predator teams on multi-discipline research surveys annually on board the CEFAS RV Endeavour research vessel, surveying birds and cetaceans. Since 2013 this has involved the annual Peltic cruise programme of the Western English Channel in October. In 2014, MARINElife also began to join annual surveys on the RV Endeavour in July, alternating surveys between the English Channel and North Sea. Collecting data on board these multi-discipline research cruises alongside teams of scientists carrying out acoustic monitoring, water column sampling and fish stock monitoring, to name a few, allows a more ecosystem based approach to analysis. Enabling us to not only survey for top predators, but better understand the environment in which they are recorded. WLO casual and south west sightings MARINElife is a strong advocate for citizen science and greatly welcomes casual sightings submissions not only from our wildlife officers in place on board three of our operating ferry routes, but also members of the public. Verified sightings can be extremely helpful in complementing our effort-based monitoring work and building a greater picture of the numbers and whereabouts of the species we record. Public reports are verified and collated into our casual sightings database by our sightings officer and can be drawn upon to support area and species specific evidence. For example, public sightings, along with our close partnership with wildlife operators AK Wildlife cruises and Marine Discovery, have significantly contributed to each of MARINElife s photo-id catalogues. Photo-identification Photo-ID is a cataloguing process for the distinctive features of individual whales and dolphins. Much like you and I can be told apart by our fingertips, so can individual dolphin and whales be identified by the unique occurrence, shape and size of nicks and scratches on their dorsal fins and bodies. By identifying and recording sightings of new and known individuals, we study dolphin populations and provide population size estimates based on re-sightings as well as population trends (increases or decreases in an area), group dynamics and social interactions, site preference and how they may use certain areas for important life stages such as feeding and calving. MARINElife currently have three main Photo-ID studies and catalogues. The South West Bottlenose dolphin catalogue and the Lyme Bay and North East Whitebeaked Dolphin catalogues. Photo-ID of White-beaked Dolphins in Lyme Bay. Photo by Tom Brereton. 13

14 CalMac Marine Awareness Programme The CalMac marine awareness programme, run in partnership between CalMac ferries, SNH, JNCC, MARINElife, RSPB, BTO, ORCA and Marine Scotland aims to use skilled volunteers for the collection of data on seabirds and cetaceans at sea, from selected CalMac ferry routes. In 2018 MARINElife will be using the experience we have built in this field over more than 20 years, to lead the coordination of ESAS trained researchers in carrying out bird surveys on board this pilot ferry survey network off Scotland and the Scottish Isles. Survey methods On each survey, effort-based cetacean and seabird monitoring is carried out by a team of trained and experienced volunteer observers using a standardised Distance sampling survey methodology, from a wellpositioned viewing platform, usually the ship s bridge. The methodology is adapted slightly (for pragmatic reasons) for use on platforms of opportunity such as commercial ferries and is reviewed on an annual basis to ensure it is in keeping with the most recent best practice methods and comparable with other research groups carrying out similar surveys. Distance sampling is a widely used method to estimate animal density or abundance in a study area. It uses the recorded distances to the animals sighted whilst surveying upon lines or points. A key assumption to this method is that the probability of detecting an animal decreases as its distance from the surveyor increases. Analyses are carried out to calculate the probability of detecting an animal, given its distance from the survey transect. There are a number of basic procedures which must be adhered to, to meet best practice methods: Use of a forward facing survey platform i.e. Bridge Scanning areas head of vessel (22.5 degrees ahead of the beam on either side to dead ahead) Scanning near and far afield Surveyors scan use both naked eye and binoculars to maximise their field of view Regular breaks to be taken by surveyors Effort/Environmental data is recorded every 15-30mins Any sightings are recorded at first point of observation MARINElife surveyors Thomas Fisher, Adrian Shephard, Tom Brereton and Ellen Last at sea. Photo by Rachel Davies. 14

15 Effort Recording At 15 minute to half hourly intervals recordings of ship position, speed and course as well as environmental conditions are made on standardised forms, in order to accurately record survey effort. This enables the number of sightings to be scaled relative to recording effort, enabling calculation of relative species abundance or density and sea conditions to be accounted for. Cetacean Recording Alongside effort data, cetacean species are recorded continuously during daylight hours. The methodology is essentially that of an unlimited distance single line transect, with every cetacean and other animal visible and identifiable being recorded once only. For each sighting, the number of animals is counted, species identified and where possible the age, sex and behaviour of individuals is recorded. As a sighting is made, position and environmental parameters are also recorded on standardised sighting forms. Bird Recording Bird box methodology is employed for recording birds at sea during MARINElife surveys. Researchers maintain a fixed position, this being towards the middle-right of the bridge, looking ahead. Seabirds and migrating landbirds are recorded throughout the survey within a 1 km arc ahead of the ship, on both port and starboard sides. In order to determine relative abundance there is a 300 x 300 metre box offset, front right of the bow. Birds that pass through this box are recorded for the box and not for the wider area. Other birds within the arc are recorded as out of box. The species, numbers and wherever possible the age of birds are recorded, as well as behaviour, especially if birds are recorded in association with fishing vessels, fish shoals or cetaceans. For a number of years MARINElife has also surveyed using European seabirds at sea (ESAS) methodology, for particular projects and surveys. This methodology employs a continuous 180º forward scan with concurrent 300m wide strip transect. Birds are recorded at set time intervals, dependent on the speed of the vessel, i.e. every 60 seconds. Within this period the surveyors record all seabirds, both on the water and in flight in a 90 arc to the starboard side. Distance zones are divided into five bands, A-E as follows: 0-50m, m, m, 200m-300m and >300m, for the purpose of distance sampling. The snapshot ( freeze-frame ) method is used to control for movement of flying birds and effectively records birds in flight within different sections of the vessels transect. Other species Sightings of other marine wildlife such as seals, sunfish, turtles and sharks are also recorded if encountered during the survey. Matt Hobbs measuring distance with a Heinemann stick. Photo by Tom Brereton. 15

16 Results 2017: Highlights in numbers 116 surveys completed 170 survey days surveyed 39,296 km of trackline sampled, with 33,706 km through ferry surveys Surveys by 100 volunteer surveyors Sampling along 18 ferry routes 2 CEFAS research trips completed, totalling 50 days at sea 14 small boat survey made off Northumberland and south west England 13 species of cetacean seen 7,361 cetaceans counted 120 species of bird seen 140,915 birds counted Surveys were made on 33 vessels, including the Pride of Bruges which has a 40.5 m high bridge, is 1,980 m long and weighs over 31,500 tonnes. Photo by Kees Torn com/photos/ @n08/ There were seven ferry routes crossing the English Channel, six in the Irish Sea, three in the North Sea, two in the Bristol Channel, two in the Celtic Sea and two across the Bay of Biscay. It was particularly exciting for MARINElife to resume a second Bay of Biscay freight ferry, with Southampton (Portbury) to Santander starting in November. In addition to ferries, there were two surveys on the CEFAS fisheries research vessel the RV Endeavour, in south west English waters; four small boat surveys in Lyme Bay and 10 small boat surveys off the Northumberland coast through the NECP project. Below: Harbour Porpoise, the most widely recorded cetacean, seen on 20 of 21 survey programmes. Photo by Adrian Shephard. Inset left: Around 30,000 shearwaters of 6 species were seen in 2017, including this Sooty Shearwater. Photo by Tom Brereton. 16

17 The distribution of survey effort is illustrated in Figure 1. This shows that the broad extent of survey coverage was largely maintained for the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, the English Channel and the inshore waters of the North, though MARINElife survey effort has decreased further offshore in the North Sea, chiefly through cessation of ferry surveys from Immingham. Figure 1: MARINElife survey coverage in 2017 (yellow lines) in relation to all other years (red lines) some 2017 North Sea surveys excluded. 17

18 Review of the year EARLY WINTER Four ferry surveys operated in JANUARY, with three in the Channel (Dover-Calais, Dover-Dunkirk and Portsmouth- Jersey) and one on the Irish Sea (Heysham-Dublin). Harbour Porpoise was the main cetacean species recorded with 23 sightings. There was a noteworthy record of six Common Dolphins on the 25th some 33.5 km north west of Cherbourg from the Portsmouth- Jersey ferry, this being quite far east for a Channel sighting. Bird highlights included a Little Gull in Dublin Bay from the Heysham-Dublin ferry and a Yellow-legged Gull off Calais from the Dover-Calais ferry, both on the 17th. It was a good month for Divers, with six Blackthroated (off Dunkirk on the 28th), five Great Northern and seven Red-throated seen. There was sharp (almost six-fold) rise in survey effort from a total of just over 500 km in January to 3,043 km in FEBRUARY. Nine ferry routes were in operation, the additions being Felixstowe-Vlaardingen, Heysham- Belfast, Heysham-Warrenpoint, Liverpool-Bilbao and Newhaven-Dieppe. Additional sea areas sampled included the Celtic Sea, the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay. The first small boat surveys off Northumberland through the NECP were run, with Harbour Porpoise being seen. It was a relatively quiet month overall, with fewer Harbour Porpoise counted on ferry surveys than January and only 2-4 cetacean species seen. The highlight was a possible Sperm Whale in the Santander canyon, southern Bay of Biscay on the 18th seen from the Liverpool to Bilbao freight ferry. A probable Minke Whale was seen in central Biscay on the same day. There were 40 species of bird recorded, including a good run of Black-throated Diver sightings with 15 counted from Irish Sea and southern North Sea ferries. Other highlights included a Great White Egret near Vlaardingen on the 7th, Little Gull 30 km north of Bilbao on the 13th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry and a Grey Phalarope in Carlingford Loch, near Warrenpoint on the 17th from the Heysham-Warrenpoint ferry. The first Manx Shearwater of the year was seen on the 11th from the Rosyth- Zeebrugge ferry. In MARCH surveys were made on nine ferry routes totaling 2,547 km across the North Sea, English Channel and Irish Seas, including the first Liverpool-Belfast trip of the year. Of the cetaceans, just Harbour Porpoise and Common Dolphin were seen. There were very few Common Dolphins, although once again there were some noteworthy sightings in the eastern half of the English Channel including two seen from the Newhaven- Dieppe ferry 25 km south of Eastbourne on the 10th and three between Alderney and Guernsey from the Poole- Jersey ferry on the 11th. There were 30 Harbour Porpoise Figure 2: Distribution of Harbour Porpoise sightings from MARINELife surveys in 2017 in relation to survey effort (yellow lines). Below: Up to six Sperm Whales were seen on MARINELife surveys in Photo by Graham Ekins. 18

19 sightings of 60 animals, including an excellent total of 18 sightings of 26 animals seen from the Dover-Calais ferry on the 11th in Sea State 2 conditions. There were 33 species of bird recorded over the month. Sightings included a total of 301 Eiders in Belfast Bay on the 11th from the Heysham-Belfast and Heysham-Warrenpoint ferries; a Whooper Swan 6 km north of Fleetwood on the 10th; 13 Little Gulls on the 30th/31st and 30 Great Northern Divers, mostly in Carlingford Loch on the 31st. Spring migration of several passerine bird species was detected with regular sightings of Meadow Pipit, including seven mid-channel in the Irish Sea from the Heysham-Belfast ferry on the 11th. March also saw peak sightings of Black Guillemot and Shag, with total counts respectively of 58 and 565 birds. Black Guillemot peak counts of ten were made in Carlingford Loch and Dublin Bay, whilst 500 Shags were seen in Carlingford Loch on the 31st. SPRING In APRIL, surveys were made along 10 ferry routes, including the first Bideford-Lundy and Hull-Zeebrugge trips, with a total of 3,740 km of trackline sampled. Six cetacean species were recorded with 1,228 animals counted. It was a big month for Common Dolphin, with 44 sightings and 1,056 animals counted across the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay. The largest group was of 300 animals at the northern end of the Santander Canyon, seen from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry on the 25th. It was the best month of the year for Bottlenose Dolphins with eight sightings totaling 70 animals. Sightings came from the Irish Sea (including inshore waters off south west Scotland), the Celtic Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the offshore waters of the southern North Sea. A large group of 35 animals was seen 45 km north west of Bilbao on the 25th April, whilst 20 were seen on the Armorican Shelf of the Northern Bay of Biscay on the 27th. Other highlights included 11 sightings of 16 Fin Whales on the Abyssal Plain, central Bay of Biscay on the 25th /27th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. Striped Dolphin and Risso s Dolphin were also recorded on this excellent trip through Biscay. Other noteworthy marine mega-fauna sightings this month included a Basking Shark in the St George s Channel of the Celtic Sea on the 25th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. It was an excellent month for birds with 64 species recorded and 18,055 individuals counted. The Heysham- Belfast survey on the 7th/8th proved highly productive for Great Northern Divers with 130 birds seen and good numbers in both English and Irish waters. A Whooper Swan was seen in the middle of the Irish Sea on the 4th from the Heysham-Dublin ferry. Impressive numbers of Fin Whale in the Celtic Deep. Photo by Peter Howlett. Manx Shearwaters were back in the Irish and Celtic Seas and the Western Approaches of the English Channel with ca3,400 birds counted. The largest flock was of ca1,000 birds east of the Isle of Arran, south west Scotland on the 23rd seen from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. Of the scarce seabirds, three Pomarine Skuas were seen on the 29th, with two from the Dover-Dunkirk ferry and one in the St George s Channel from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. The first European Storm-petrels of the year were seen from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry, with three singletons seen, including two in southern Biscay on the 27th and one west of Pembroke on the 28th. Noteworthy passerines in the southern Bay of Biscay on the 25th seen from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry included three Turtle Doves, Song Thrush, Tree Pipit, two Yellow Wagtails, Black Redstart, two Common Redstarts, Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler, three Willow Warblers, two Sedge Warblers, two Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat. Survey effort peaked in MAY with recording along 12 ferry routes and 5,387 km of trackline sampled. This included the first surveys of the year from the Liverpool- Dublin route. All regional sea areas were covered over the month. Nine cetacean species were recorded with just under 900 animals counted. The sightings included our first Bottlenose Dolphins sightings for the Channel in 2017, with two small groups seen around the Channel Islands in early May, from the Poole-Jersey and Portsmouth-Jersey ferries. Large number of Common Dolphins were seen in the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay, chiefly from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. The first Longfinned Pilot Whale sightings of the year were made in the middle of the Bay of Biscay on the 17th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. Minke Whales were seen south of the Isle of Man on the 18th and 19th from the Heysham- Warrenpoint ferry, whilst there were four sightings on the 25th off the County Durham and Yorkshire coast from the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry. A lone Risso s Dolphin was seen halfway between Blackpool and the Isle of Man from the Heysham-Warrenpoint ferry on the 18th. The first White-beaked Dolphins of the year were seen on the 25th off the coasts of Northumberland and Durham from 19

20 Figure 3: Distribution of MARINELife Common Dolphin (red circles), Bottlenose Dolphin (orange) and White-beaked Dolphin (purple) sightings in UK and surrounding waters in 2017 in relation to survey effort (yellow lines). the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry. It was an excellent month for Harbour Porpoise with sightings in all sampled UK regional seas. On the 25th, there was an impressive 26 sightings of 55 animals along the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry route from County Durham south to Lincolnshire. The first Ocean Sunfish of the year was seen in the Western Approaches on the 20th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. It was another busy month for birds, with both the breeding season and spring migration in full swing. There were 65 species seen and 22,384 birds counted. The high totals reflect that several of the ferries sample sea areas near a number of important seabird breeding areas including St Abbs Head, the Farne Islands and the islands off south west Wales. Species which peaked in May included Guillemot (5,660 counted), Puffin (243), Razorbill (445), Lesser Black-backed Gull (701), Kittiwake (2,341) and Common Tern (405). The first Balearic Shearwaters of the year were seen from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry, with singletons in Biscay on the 17th and 20th. Several uncommon seabird species were seen during the month including a Long-tailed Skua from the Heysham-Warrenpoint ferry on the 18th and an early Little Shearwater in the northern Bay of Biscay from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry on the 17th. An unseasonal Sooty Shearwater was seen north of Rotterdam from the Felixstowe-Vlaardingen ferry on the 8th. Passerines were a bit thin on the ground, but there were two Spotted Flycatcher sightings, including one north of Anglesey on the 21st from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry and one off the Northumberland coast from the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry on the 25th. 20 SUMMER Survey effort dropped off somewhat in JUNE, with surveys made along seven ferry routes (the lowest total since January), including the first Ilfracombe-Lundy survey of the year. The first two small boat surveys in Lyme Bay, south west England were also completed. In total 1,746 km of trackline was surveyed. It was a poor month for cetaceans with just three species and 90 animals counted. The highlight was a large group of 40 Bottlenose Dolphins seen south of Jersey on the 7th from the Portsmouth-Jersey ferry. Lyme Bay surveys got off to a good start with Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin and Harbour Porpoise all seen. There were 2,628 birds counted of 25 species, but it was a generally quiet month, with few standout sightings. On the 14th, 20 Puffins seen ( off effort ) from a small boat survey in Lyme Bay was noteworthy. On the 7th, there were six sightings of Balearic Shearwater totaling eight birds, seen around the Channel Islands from the Portsmouth- Jersey ferry. JULY was a busy month with nine ferry surveys completed and all sea areas sampled. In addition, a weeklong survey was made in the North Sea and Channel as part of a CEFAS fish survey (Clean Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme - CSEMP), whilst an NECP survey was completed off Northumberland. In total 4,591 km of survey effort was undertaken from 11 vessels. It was the best month of the year for cetacean variety with 11 species recorded, though the total count of 360 animals seemed relatively low. Highlights included a Humpback Whale in the North Sea 120 km north east of Scarborough on the 9th on the CEFAS CSEMP survey; three Risso s Dolphins off the Yorkshire coast from the same survey on the 11th and from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry, there was a probable Sperm Whale sighting 75 km north west of St Ives in the Celtic Sea on the 23rd. Two Northern Bottlenose Whales were recorded in the Santander Canyon on the 24th. It was a good month for Minke Whales with 10 seen in the North and Irish Seas, whilst there were three sightings of White-beaked There were six sightings of Risso s Dolphin in 2017, totaling 30 individuals. Photo by Tom Brereton.

21 Dolphin in the North Sea off the coast of north east England, seen on the CEFAS CSEMP survey. It was a quiet month for Bottlenose Dolphins, though noteworthy sightings included from the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry on the 15th, off the Northumberland coast (NECP survey) on the 18th and from the Ilfracombe-Lundy ferry on the 22nd. Bird diversity rose sharply in July with 45 species and 15,646 individuals counted. The first Cory s Shearwaters of the year were seen, with 21 sightings of 107 birds on the 24th and 26th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. The majority of birds were seen in the Western Approaches and off the coast of west Cornwall. This area and the northern Bay of Biscay also produced 13 sightings of 21 individual Balearic Shearwaters on the same survey. The largest Manx Shearwater count was 520 birds 11 km south of Castletown, Isle of Man on the 13th from the Heysham-Warrenpoint ferry. The undoubted bird highlight of the month was a Black-browed Albatross seen by Stephen Dunstan in the North Sea, 20 km north of Zeebrugge on the 16th in Belgium waters. What was presumably the same bird (an immature) was photographed from a fishing vessel off Loctudy, Brittany on the 24th July 2017 (per Stephen Dunstan). AUGUST was another big month of survey effort, with 10 ferry routes operating alongside NECP and Lyme Bay small boat surveys, with a combined transect length of 4,562 km. There were nine cetacean species recorded and 985 animals counted. It was the best month of the year for White-beaked Dolphin in terms of numbers, with 37 animals counted. However, these were all seen on one day from an NECP survey off Northumberland on the 26th. This represents a relatively poor return for a seasons of surveys in this area, whilst none were seen from the traditional Lyme Bay hotspot from small boat surveys (though survey effort was relatively low here). Some of the individually recognizable (through photo-id) Lyme Bay White-beaked Dolphins were encountered further west in Plymouth Bay on AK Wildlife Cruises trips in August and September. The first Cuvier s Beaked Whales of the year were seen from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry on the 17th, with four singletons in the Santander Canyon. As in July, Fin Whales were fairly numerous in Biscay from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry, with an additional encounter in the Celtic Deep on the 16th. A Striped Dolphin was also seen in the Celtic Deep on the 19th from the same survey, this being a fair way north of the species known regular summer range. Four Sperm Whales were seen along the northern shelf-edge of the Bay of Biscay, with two on the 17th in the Sables d Olonne Canyon and another two in the Blavet Canyon on the 19th. Black-browed Albatross north of Zeebrugge 16th July, the first accepted record for Belgium! Photo by Stephen Dunstan. Humpback Whale. Photo by Tom Brereton. 21

22 It was a very busy month for birds, with 59 species and nearly 30,000 counted. It was a fabulous month for seabird variety. All four species of skua were seen, including a Long-tailed Skua in the southern Bay of Biscay from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry on the 17th. All five species of UK breeding terns were seen, including a Roseate Tern on the 14th in the Irish Sea, west of Stranraer and three Little Terns on the 19th in the northern Bay of Biscay, south west of Brest; with both sightings made from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. Arctic Terns peaked during the month with 168 counted, including 100 from the Dover-Dunkirk ferry on the 5th. Six species of shearwater were seen. A notable concentration of Balearic Shearwaters was encountered in western Lyme Bay from a small boat survey on the 24th, with 60 seen including a single group of 45. In the Bay of Biscay, Western Approaches and Celtic Sea west of Cornwall, 484 Cory s Shearwaters, 2,071 Great Shearwaters and 11 Sooty Shearwaters were seen from the 17th 19th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. In addition, two Little Shearwaters were seen in the southern Bay of Biscay on the 19th. Three species of petrel were seen, including 6 Wilson s Petrels in the Bay of Biscay, Western Approaches and the St George s Channel, Celtic Sea (including west of Pembroke), between the 16th 20th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. A Leach s Petrel was seen in the Irish Sea mid-way between the Mull of Galloway and Belfast from the Heysham-Belfast ferry on the 11th. Seabirds with peak counts in August included Manx Shearwater (7,317 counted), Razorbill (422), Lesser Black-backed Gull (637) and Herring Gull (1,668). AUTUMN/LATE WINTER Surveys were made along eight ferry routes in SEPTEMBER, along with NECP surveys, whilst the epic 37 day CEFAS Peltic research cruise started on the 29th; representing a total of 3,928 km of trackline. After the excitement of August, it was a quieter month for cetaceans with five species seen. These included a Risso s Dolphin on the 8th between the Mull of Galloway and Belfast seen from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry and Bottlenose Dolphins in the Irish Sea from the Heysham- Dublin and Heysham-Belfast ferries, respectively on the 5th and 9th. Harbour Porpoises were widely distributed, being seen along six routes. Over the month there were nearly 15,947 birds counted of 40 species. These included the only two Sabine s Gull sightings of the year, both seen from the Liverpool- Bilbao ferry; with one on the 9th in the southern Bay of Biscay and another singleton in the St George s Channel 43 km west of Fishguard on the 14th. In the eastern Manx and Balearic Shearwaters in Lyme Bay on 24 th August. Photo by Tom Brereton. English Channel, there was a relatively high count of 51 European Storm-petrels seen in slight sea conditions from the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry on the 16th. There was a noteworthy tally of Balearic Shearwaters on the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry between the 10th and 13th, with 19 widely scattered sightings of 51 birds from the southern Bay of Biscay northwards to the Celtic Sea off west Cornwall. Large shearwaters were still prevalent with 179 Cory s Shearwaters and 11,01 Great Shearwaters counted across a broad area from Biscay through to the Celtic Sea on the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry between the 10th and 13th. Oddities included a Little Tern near Belfast, seen from the Heysham-Belfast ferry on the 9th. Manx Shearwater numbers remained high with 4,428 counted, including a flock of 1,500 birds on the 9th, located 26 km north west of Stranraer and spotted from the Liverpool- Bilbao ferry. Ferry survey activity peaked in OCTOBER with 11 routes covered, whilst the CEFAS Peltic cruise continued on most days of the month, with a combined total of 6,818 km of trackline sampled. It was an excellent month for cetaceans with nine species recorded. Six species of cetacean were seen on the CEFAS Peltic survey, with over 2,000 animals counted. This survey proved superb for Common Dolphin with 169 sightings of 1,705 animals, in group sizes of up to 250. The survey was also productive for Fin Whales, with 31 counted (including probable IDs), nearly all in the Celtic Deep from the 5th to the 9th. A group of 17 Risso s Dolphins were seen mid-channel between Weymouth and Cherbourg on the 26th and rather reassuringly, a White-beaked Dolphin was seen in the usual area of Lyme Bay on the 23rd, following no sightings from four small boat surveys over the spring and summer months. Finally, there were two Bottlenose Dolphin sightings including a group of 14 located 62 km north west of the Scilly Isles on the 8th. Along ferry routes, in a poor year for the species, the third sighting of Long-finned Pilot Whales was made on the 7th in the Bay of Biscay from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry, with five animals seen. The last Minke Whale of the year was seen in the Celtic Deep on the 8th from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. One of the undoubted marine animal highlights of 22

23 the month was a Leatherback Turtle seen on the CEFAS Peltic survey in the northern Bay of Biscay on the 27th. Figure 4: Distribution of Fin Whale Sightings in Over the month 55 bird species were recorded with nearly 16,000 individuals were counted. Cory s Shearwater numbers dropped off markedly with just seven seen in Biscay from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry. Great Shearwater numbers were reduced to a lesser degree, with 341 counted across the Celtic Sea, Western Approaches and Bay of Biscay, from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry and the CEFAS Peltic survey. Numbers of Balearic Shearwaters on the CEFAS Peltic cruise were down on previous years, with no substantial aggregations located, though the survey was later this year so not directly comparable. The CEFAS Peltic survey was excellent for European Storm-petrel, Great Skua and Gannet though with respective totals of 542, 405 and 5,150 birds. Oddities included a Bewick s Swan in the Bristol Channel, off Portishead, seen from the Liverpool-Bilbao ferry on the 3rd and a Leach s Petrel seen on the North West Bank, west of the Scilly Isles from the CEFAS Peltic survey on the 8th. The only Little Auk of the year was seen on the 8th in southern North Sea, 15 km north west of Zeebrugge from the Hull-Zeebrugge ferry. On the 28th there were 20 sightings of 90 Little Gulls seen from the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry, between the north Norfolk coast and Zeebrugge. The only Velvet Scoter sighting of the year was made on the same survey, with three birds in the Humber Estuary. There were some interesting passerine sightings on the CEFAS Peltic cruise including a Above: Leatherback Turtle, seen on the 27th October 40 km south west of Oeussant on the CEFAS Peltic survey. Photo by Peter Howlett. Right: Little Bunting on the RV Endeavour in Lyme Bay on the 3rd November. Photo by Peter Howlett. 23

24 Figure 5: Distribution of Balearic (yellow circles), Manx (grey), Great (purple), Cory s (pink) and Sooty Shearwater (red) sightings (red circles) in UK and surrounding waters. 24

25 juvenile Stock Dove on the 29th between Brittany and south west England. Survey effort dropped off considerably in NOVEMBER, with five ferry surveys, one NECP and the remainder of the CEFAS Peltic survey in the early part of the month totaling 1,572 km of trackline. On the plus side, a new route started up, from Portbury (Southampton) to Santander, representing a second Bay of Biscay route the most since 2010! There were four cetacean species recorded and just over 800 animals counted. These included 29 Striped Dolphins, 2 Fin Whales and large numbers of Common Dolphins in the Bay of Biscay between the 26th and the 28th from the Portbury- Santander ferry. Over the month there were 24 species of bird recorded, with 5,875 individuals counted. There were few seabird highlights other than from the new Portbury- Santander ferry. Sightings on this route included a late Cory s Shearwater on the 27th and a Leach s Petrel in the Irish Sea on the 26th. There were some exciting passerine sightings on the CEFAS Peltic cruise, the pick being a Little Bunting in Lyme Bay 20 km south of Lyme Regis on the 3rd and three Long-tailed Tits 35 km south west of Guernsey & 45 km from the French coast the previous day. In DECEMBER recording was made on six ferry surveys and through NECP surveys, totaling 1,224 km of effort. It was a predictably quiet month for cetaceans with only three species recorded. Harbour Porpoise was seen on five of the six routes sampled, with a noteworthy 16 sightings from an NECP survey off Northumberland on the 19th. Bottlenose Dolphins were seen on three routes, including three off Rosslare Harbour from the Portbury-Santander ferry on the 9th. There were 17 bird species and 2,381 individuals counted. Highlights 130 Little Gulls were counted on surveys in Photo by Graham Ekins. included two Black-throated Divers off Rosslare Harbour from the Portbury-Santander ferry on the 9th and some late Manx Shearwaters with six sightings of 25 birds on the 10th from the Heysham-Belfast ferry. Long-tailed Skua. Photo by Martin Kitching. 25

26 Route name Sea areas No. surveys Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total Ferries Rosyth Zeebrugge North Sea , ,641 Hull Zeebrugge North Sea Felixstowe Vlaardingen North Sea ,074 Dover Dunkirk Channel, North Sea ,148 Dover Calais Channel Newhaven Dieppe Channel ,560 Portbury Santander Channel, Biscay Portsmouth Jersey Channel ,666 Poole Jersey Channel ,847 Jersey St Malo Channel Bideford Lundy Bristol Channel (B.C.) Ifracombe Lundy Bristol Channel (B.C.) Liverpool Dublin Irish Sea Liverpool Belfast Irish Sea ,679 Heysham Dublin Irish Sea ,257 Heysham Warrenpoint Irish Sea ,836 Heysham Belfast Irish Sea ,728 Liverpool Bilbao Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, Biscay ,747 1,593 1,867 1,782 1,628 1,364 10,798 Ferry total 509 2,932 2,547 3,740 5,387 1,519 4,046 4,111 2,888 3,688 1,115 1,224 33,706 Research cruises CEFAS North Sea North Sea, Channel CEFAS Peltic Channel, Celtic Sea, B.C , ,835 Small boat programmes NECP North Sea Lyme Bay Channel Grand total 509 3,043 2,685 3,740 5,387 1,746 4,591 4,562 3,298 6,818 1,572 1,346 39,296 Table 1: Summary of survey effort ( km travelled) along ferry routes and other survey programmes in 2017 Common name TOTAL LYME BAY NECP CEFAS PELTIC CEFAS NORTH SEA LIVERPOOL BLIBAO HEYSHAM BELFAST HEYSHAM WARRENPOINT HEYSHAM DUBLIN LIVERPOOL BELFAST LIVERPOOL DUBLIN ILFRACOMBE LUNDY JERSEY ST MALO POOLE JERSEY PORTSMOUTH JERSEY PORTBURY SANTANDER NEWHAVEN DIEPPE DOVER CALAIS DOVER DUNKIRK FELIXSTOWE VLAARDINGEN HULL ZEEBRUGGE ROSYTH ZEEBRUGGE Harbour Porpoise Bottlenose Dolphin Common Dolphin (Short-beaked) ,915 1, ,960 White-beaked Dolphin Risso s Dolphin Striped Dolphin Minke Whale Long-finned Pilot Whale Cuvier s Beaked Whale 4 4 Northern Bottlenose Whale 2 2 Humpback Whale 1 1 Sperm Whale 6 6 Fin Whale Dolphin sp Whale sp Cetacean sp Grey Seal Harbour Seal Basking Shark 2 2 Ocean Sunfish Leatherback Turtle 1 1 Table 2: Summary of cetaceans and other large marine animals counted on each survey programme in

27 British Common name ROSYTH ZEEBRUGGE HULL ZEEBRUGGE FELIXSTOWE VLAARDINGEN DOVER DUNKIRK DOVER CALAIS NEWHAVEN DIEPPE PORTBURY SANTANDER PORTSMOUTH JERSEY Arctic Skua Great Skua Long-tailed Skua Pomarine Skua Arctic Tern Common Tern Little Tern Roseate Tern 1 1 Sandwich Tern Balearic Shearwater Cory s Shearwater Great Shearwater 3, ,513 Macaronesian Shearwater 3 3 Manx Shearwater ,541 2,681 17, ,069 Sooty Shearwater Black Guillemot Guillemot 4, , ,735 5,791 2, ,873 Little Auk 1 1 Puffin Razorbill ,231 Great Black-backed Gull ,116 Lesser Black-backed Gull ,659 Black-headed Gull ,896 Common Gull Herring Gull , , ,281 Mediterranean Gull Sabine s Gull 2 2 Yellow-legged Gull Little Gull Kittiwake 1, , ,352 1, ,331 Gannet 2, ,296 1,033 2, ,001 1, ,093 6,778 8, ,061 Leach s Petrel Storm Petrel Wilson s Petrel 6 6 Fulmar ,552 Black-browed Albatross 1 1 Black-throated Diver Great Northern Diver Red-throated Diver Common Scoter Velvet Scoter 3 3 Eider , ,644 Gadwall Red-breasted Merganser Shelduck Teal 5 5 Great Crested Grebe Cormorant , ,943 Shag ,233 Curlew Dunlin Great White Egret 1 1 Grey Phalarope 1 1 Knot Oystercatcher Redshank Sanderling 1 1 Eurasian Spoonbill 1 1 Turnstone Whimbrel Auk sp , , ,444 Diver (loon) sp Duck sp Grebe sp. 2 2 Gull sp , , ,552 Larus sp ,200 Petrel sp. 5 5 Scoter sp Shearwater sp Skua sp Tern sp , ,655 Wader sp Table 3: Summary of birds counted on each survey programme in In Lyme Bay, complete bird recording was only made on one of the four small boat surveys. 27 POOLE JERSEY JERSEY ST MALO BIDEFORD LUNDY ILFRACOMBE LUNDY LIVERPOOL DUBLIN LIVERPOOL BELFAST HEYSHAM DUBLIN HEYSHAM WARRENPOINT HEYSHAM BELFAST LIVERPOOL BLIBAO CEFAS PELTIC LYME BAY TOTAL

28 MARINElife Registered Charity No Higher Street, Bridport, West Dorset DT6 3JA Bottlenose Dolphin. Photo by Tom Brereton.