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Our series of talks, training and events running through 2025 have been endorsed by the UN as an official activity contributing to the UN Ocean Decade!Β
July
July
National Whale and Dolphin Week π 26th July to 3rd August 2025 National Whale and Dolphin Week is a week-long citizen science event, co-ordinated by Sea Watch Foundation, dedicated to observing and protecting whales, dolphins, and porpoises in UK waters.Β
On Saturday 2nd August at 12pm, the Shetland Amenity Trust will be teaching the Shetland Junior Rangers how to Shorewatch at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse as part of their new programme of events. There will be other Shorewatch volunteers there to help and look out for marine mammals, in case you'd like to get involved!Β
National Whale and Dolphin Week - Evening of Talks π 29th July 2025, 18:30-20:00
Emily will be speaking at the online evening of talks on the 29th July, during National Whale and Dolphin Week! Talk title: Everyone counts! How citizen science has contributed to marine mammal research in Scotland
Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-whale-and-dolphin-watch-first-evening-of-talks-tickets-1489184794809?aff=ebdsoporgprofileΒ
August
August
National Whale and Dolphin Week π 26th July to 3rd August 2025 National Whale and Dolphin Week is a week-long citizen science event, co-ordinated by Sea Watch Foundation, dedicated to observing and protecting whales, dolphins, and porpoises in UK waters.Β
On Saturday 2nd August at 12pm, the Shetland Amenity Trust will be teaching the Shetland Junior Rangers how to Shorewatch at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse as part of their new programme of events. There will be other Shorewatch volunteers there to help and look out for marine mammals, in case you'd like to get involved!Β
September
September
WDC Shorewatch Big Watch Weekend, π 5 - 7th September. Twice a year, WDC Shorewatch run 'Big Watch Weekends' where they encourage all their volunteers to do as much Shorewatching as possible across all Shorewatch sites. During the weekend, there'll be social watches and a few fun competitions.Β
Other
Other
SMASS sampling volunteer training (in Shetland) πLocation (in Shetland) and dates TBC
Past Events
Past Events
WDC & SMASS Marine Forum 2025 π 1st March 2025π National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh
BLUE CONNECT hosted a stall during the afternoon interactive sessions at the Marine Forum. We encouraged attendees to complete our online surveys, providing thoughts on protective measures and areas, related to marine mammals in Scotland.
Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust: Winter Webinar series π Wednesday 19th March 2025, 7pm: "Cetacean Conservation: Communities Count!" with Emily Hague
Scotland is unique, in that a huge part of our understanding of marine mammals has been gleaned via data collected by the community participating in data collection, rather than via established governmental or academic research programmes. Emily will share some examples, and present a project working to help empower and enhance community efforts further. We will then have some interactive discussion and brainstorming on new techniques, technologies and ideas on how together we can continue to advance our understanding of the blubbery beings around our coasts!
π¬Train to spot and record marine mammals, be a WDC Shorewatch volunteer π¬
There will be two training sessions held in Shetland in April (if you can't attend, online trainings are also available);Β
π Tuesday 15th April 2025, 11am-2pm πUHI Campus, Main Auditorium, Scalloway. Followed by a Shorewatch at Burra Toogs.
π Wednesday 16th April 2025, 18:30-20:30 πIsleburgh Centre, Lerwick.Β
Sign up for training sessions at this link. If you are based somewhere else in Shetland and would like a session nearer to you, let us know by emailing shorewatch@whales.org
πShetland's Seas: An Evening of Marine Talksπ
π Auditorium, Shetland Musuem & Archives
π Friday 18th April π‘Doors open 18:30 π€ Talks: 6:45 - 8:30 PM
π FREE entry β no sign-up needed!
Come along for a relaxed Friday evening diving into Shetlandβs marine life. Hear about all things marine mammals and learn how you could get involved with the various projects and initiatives around Shetland! π³π¬
Our speakers include:
π¬ Katie Dyke (Whale and Dolphin Conservation)
π Mariel ten Doeschate & Rachel Lennon (Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme)
π¦ Helen Moncrieff (RSPB Shetland)
πΏ Karen Hall (NatureScot & Shetland Marine Mammal Group)
π Pete Bevington (Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary)
π¬ Emily Hague (BLUE CONNECT project / UHI Shetland)
Facebook Event Link: https://fb.me/e/evvKgrBsS
π³ WDC Shorewatch social (and taster) sessionsπ³Β
Katie Dyke, Shorewatch coordinator, will be visiting Shetland, so during her visit we are planning some get togethers, to do some Shorewatches, share cake and catch up at various sites around Shetland! All welcome (whether you are a WDC Shorewatch volunteer or not). Times/days subject to change (but will be updated here nearer the time);
π Tuesday 15th April, 14:30-16:00 π Burra Toogs (bring your lunch!)
π Tuesday 15th April, 18:30-19:30πthe Knab (Lerwick)
π Wednedsday 16th April, 11:00-13:00 πMousa Sound
π Wednedsday 16th April, 15:00-17:00π the Knab (Lerwick)
π Thursday 17th April, 11:30-13:30π Burravoe (Yell)
π Thursday 17th April, 15:00-17:00π Belmont (Unst)
π Friday 18th April, 11:30-12:30π QuendaleΒ
π Friday 18th April, 14:00-16:00π Sumburgh Head (sites A, B and C) (including cakes, cuppa and a quiz in the Sumburgh Head cafe 13:00-14:00)
π Saturday 19th April, 10:00-12:00π SandnessΒ
π Sunday 20th April, 15:00-17:00π Burra Toogs
π Monday 21st April, 11:00-13:00πSouth Nesting Bay
π Meet WDC's inflatable Humpback whale, Hope! πΒ
πBurra Public Hall π Sunday 20th April 2025, 10am-13:45pm. All wecome. Tickets not essential, but you can book your visit here.
πAs well as getting to set inside Hope, there will be various other marine activities, and organisations keen to talk to you about ways you can help with marine conservation around Shetland, including SMASS, Beach Track and UHI Shetland.Β
π¬SMASS BeachTrack and BEEP training, for trained SMASS volunteers (or those interested in signing up)Β
πHillswick Wildlife Sanctuary
π Saturday 19th April 2025, 11:00-14:00
All wecome, no prior registration needed!
π SMASS BeachTrack training and Redd Ups!Β
Meet at the Quendale Shorewatch site at 11:30 on Friday 18th April 2025 to hear more about how to do a BeachTrack!
πΒ European Cetacean Society Conference 'Navigating waters of change'
πPonta Delgada, Azores, PortugalΒ
π 13th May 2025, Half day workshops
BLUE CONNECT will be co-hosting two workshops on 13th May;
Morning: Blue Innovations: Communities and Tech for Cetacean Monitoring on a Budget
Afternoon: Approaches to the assessment and mitigation of vessel strike risks from small/medium marine traffic, including vessels not required to transmit AIS
π¬Orca Watch π 24th May- 1st June 2025 Orca Watch is a nine-day event co-ordinated by Sea Watch Foundation, with the hub based in John OβGroats, but there are watches and events taking place all around northern Scotland (Caithness and North Sutherland), and the northern isles (Orkney and Shetland). Watch this space for Shetland based events and watches!
π WDC Shorewatch Big Watch Weekendπ 6 - 8th June 2025 Twice a year, WDC Shorewatch run 'Big Watch Weekends' where they encourage all their volunteers to do as much Shorewatching as possible across all Shorewatch sites. During the weekend, there'll be social watches and a few fun competitions.Β
Real Talk: Early Careers in Marine Mammal Science π Thursday 24th July 2025, 5-6:30pm:Β
This webinar, hosted by the IMarEST Marine Mammal Special Interest Group (MMSIG), offers early career professionals an honest and supportive introduction to the realities of working in marine mammal science. Through personal reflections, the speakers, who are themselves early career professionals at various stages of their careers, will share the skills, experiences and support that have shaped their journeys so far. The session aims to provide a realistic, current and open discussion on overcoming barriers, navigating setbacks, celebrating successes and everything in between. The webinar will also highlight the career-building resources available through IMarEST, designed to help individuals grow and thrive in the field. To encourage questions and the sharing of experiences, an open Q&A session will follow.
Speakers: π Tim Awbery, PhD Student, Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) π Emily Cunningham MBE, Global Lead for River Dolphin Conservation, WWF International π Emily Hague, Marine Mammal Post-Doctoral Researcher, UHI Shetland π Giulia Luerti, Assistant Technical Adviser - Environmental Sustainability, IMCA π Dr. Maevatiana N. Ratsimbazafindranahahaka,Β Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and Research Associate, CΓ©tamada Associationπ Ashleigh Kitchiner, Marine Consents and Environment ManagerΒ
Hosts:π Leonie Lepple, Marine Mammal Consultant, Β MMO / PAM π Keely Saville, Recent MSc Graduate,Β Zoologist π Niru Dorrian, Co-Chair Marine Mammals SIG π Elizabeth Ferguson, Co-Chair Marine Mammals SIG
Banner Image Credit Nick McCaffrey / Southspear Media & Surveys Ltd
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