Embedded Files
The Marine Mammal Memories project is a UHI Shetland based project, seeking to collate memories of marine mammals seen around Shetland in the past (between 1930s and 2000s -ish). This will help us to better understand historic cetacean sightings and distributions, and then compare this with what is seen today to highlight and understand what has changed.
For the project, we are collecting data in three ways;
Oral history interviews
In spring 2026, we will be conducting oral history interviews with people who remember Shetland's seas pre-2000s, to capture memories and first-hand accounts of marine mammals around Shetland. Sightings could be from land or at-sea; there is no requirement to be a seafarer to be interviewed. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to take part!
Online survey
We are also conducting an online survey (open to all!), to ensure we capture the memories and first-hand accounts of marine mammals around Shetland from as many people as possible. Anyone is invited to participate, though we are particularly interested in those that can remember Shetland's seas pre-2000s.
Access the survey at the link here: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/uhi/marine-mammal-memories
Collating archival material related to marine mammals
We are also exploring old documents, maps, books and other archival material, to help gather evidence and help us build a picture on where marine mammals were historically sighted, any historical seasonality, historic local names, etc.
Project Outputs and Information
We will use all the various information gathered to help us develop an understanding of historic marine mammal sightings around Shetland – which species do people remember seeing? Where? Which decade? What local names were they referred to as? This information will be collated into a project report and publication to summarise our findings. Excitingly, we will also be working with the Shetland Museum & Archives to develop public display materials as an exhibition so we can showcase the project findings, along with our present marine mammal research. Watch this space for more information!
The project is led by Dr Emily Hague and Kate Allan, both based at UHI Shetland.
Interested in being interviewed or involved?
Please reach out to Kate kathryn.allan@uhi.ac.uk or Emily emily.hague@uhi.ac.uk. We would love to hear from you!
Funders
Funders
The oral history interviews and surveys of the Marine Mammal Memories project are supported by the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund using funds made available by the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund.
The Shetland Community Benefit Fund and Viking Community Fund (from Viking Energy) will enable us to develop public engagement and outreach materials related to the Marine Mammal Memories project.
Staff time throughout has been supported by the BLUE CONNECT project, which is funded by the European Union, under the Horizon Ocean Mission funding (HORIZON-MISS-2023OCEAN-01).
Banner Image Credit Stephen Spence; Sperm Whale Image Credit Kieron Murray; Black and white Shetland marine mammal image Credits courtesy of Shetland Museum & Archives
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