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If you're headed out to sea, on any vessel, whether it be a ferry or on your own boat, there are a number of ways you can contribute...
Report your sightings to the local Shetland sightings groups
Report your sightings to the local Shetland sightings groups
Local people coordinate the local Shetland sightings groups (based on Facebook), where people post when they've spotted something interesting (including location, time etc.), which allows others to then go out and spot wildlife too! The sightings are collated into a database managed by Karen Hall, who submits the sightings for national monitoring efforts, and shares the data for relevant projects. The groups are interested in any sightings in Shetland waters, so please feel free to share your sightings, even if you're not sure of what species it is, there will be someone that can help!
Be part of Whale Track and report your sightings
Be part of Whale Track and report your sightings
Whale Track is the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s community sightings network, which includes a free smartphone app and website. Anyone can download the app and report casual sightings or log an at sea survey using ‘excursion mode’ which records the length of time and distance travelled. The App uses your phones GPS location to accurately track your trip at sea, without the need for WiFi or phone signal, and allows you to record the location of sightings.
To use excursion mode, when you're headed out to sea (on any vessel - from a ferry to a fishing boat to a kayak!), click to start your excursion, then when you spot a marine mammal, click add sighting. When you are back ashore, you can end your excursion contributing valuable data. Even recording no sightings during an excursion is valuable data, understanding where animals aren’t throughout the year helps build a more accurate idea of how these creatures are using our seas. Identifying hotspots is important but so is noting where species are seen less often.
Take photos of marine mammals
Take photos of marine mammals
As part of the BLUE CONNECT project, we are interested in analysing photos of marine mammals taken around Shetland for a number of reasons, including to contribute to photo-identification projects, and to look at scarring to understand past entanglements and interactions. If you capture any images or videos of marine mammals whilst out at sea, please consider contributing them to us, by emailing shetlandmarinemammals@outlook.com.
Volunteer for ORCA
Volunteer for ORCA
There are a number of ways volunteers can contribute to the ORCA, from learning how to watch from land, to joining ship-based surveys as a marine mammal surveyor around the globe. Around Shetland, ORCA volunteers collect data on the Northlink ferries. To see their sightings map, click here.
Follow the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code
Follow the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code
The Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code provides practical guidance aimed at raising awareness on how best to enjoy watching marine wildlife, whilst minimising disturbance, ensuring any encounters you do have whilst at sea remain within the law. NatureScot have also produced 'A Guide to Best Practice for Watching Marine Wildlife', which provides some advice on how best to reduce disturbance whilst out on the water, should you come into contact with any marine wildlife whilst out paddling!
The Code advises that whilst you're at sea,
if you are passing close to wildlife, reduce your speed to the safest minimum. Make sure that your movements are steady and predictable and approach at an oblique angle – direct or head-on approaches are more threatening. Depart with equal caution.
Speed increases the likelihood of collisions, the severity of injury to the animals, and the danger to the boat users. Noise and other forms of disturbance may also be associated with increased speed. We recommend less than 6 knots as an appropriate speed through the water when close to marine animals.
Minimise your time with the animals. A good rule of thumb is 15 minutes if there is more than one boat, and 30 minutes if you are alone. But if at any time you see signs of agitation or stress you should depart as slowly and carefully as you can. Make sure you take a good look before making any change of direction. There may be animals all around you.
Current rules of thumb for minimum approach distances are:
50 metres for dolphins and porpoises
100 metres for whales
200–400 metres for mothers and calves, or for animals that are clearly actively feeding or in transit (moderate to fast swimming in a single direction)
Banner Image Credit Nick McCaffrey / Southspear Media & Surveys Ltd
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