Research • Education • Conservation
Mission Statement.
The Biscay Dolphin Research Programme (BDRP) is a non-profit voluntary conservation body established in 1995 that aims to further the conservation of cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and other marine life through scientific investigation and educational activities.
On this site find out more about the many different species of
whales, dolphins and
seabirds that are seen from P&O
Ferries' Pride of Bilbao, as well as more about the work
of the BDRP research teams and Wildlife
Liaison Officer.
Contacts and details of group
merchandise are available and don't forget to check regularly for
the latest sightings.
Supporters of BDRP can find further information about Splash newsletter and the standing order supporter's scheme here: Supporter's Toolkit
Marinelife/Biscay Dolphin Research Programme has now set up a Blog so
we can share with you our sightings and trip reports in more detail. We
do hope you enjoy reading the blog. Our researchers and wildlife officers
will be posting entries from trips on all our different routes so please
do check back regularly for updates.
Please click on the Blog icon to be forwarded to the Marinelife/BDRP
blog.
P&O Trips
ANNOUNCEMENT: BDRP Cetacean & Seabird Identification Workshops for 2010 ALL SOLD OUT!
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Common Dolphin |
Biscay Dolphin Research Programme is delighted to announce the Cetacean & Seabird Identification Workshops for 2010 on the P&O cruiseferry ‘Pride of Bilbao’are now available for booking. Come and join some of the most experienced cetacean and seabird researchers in the UK for a fully interactive workshop where you will learn all the basic skills needed to observe and identify these fantastic animals at sea.
This workshop is ideal for anyone with a general interest in marine wildlife, students studying Marine Biology or similar subjects, people who want some firsthand experience of field work as well any prospective Marine Mammal Observers (MMO’s).
The 2010 workshop dates are now sold out. Please watch this space for news on our 2011 workshops and trips.
For further information and all booking details, please click
here:
Details
>>
ANNOUNCEMENT: BDRP Whale & Dolphin Watching Theme Cruises for 2010 now available for booking.
Whale & Dolphin Watching Theme Cruises
We are delighted to announce that in association with P&O Ferries, BDRP will be running four special Whale and Dolphin theme cruises this year, sailing over four days from Portsmouth to Bilbao and back, through one of the best localities in the world for whale watching.
Prices are from £99, inclusive of cabin (based on 2 people sharing an inside ensuite 2 berth cabin) and the trips are running on the following dates:
* 16-19 September 2010
* 19-22 September 2010
For further information and all booking details, please click
here:
Details >>
Please book your
trips for any of P&O Ferries' routes through our website where possible,
click this link for details.
The
premier ferry company for travel through the English Channel and Bay of
Biscay between England, France and Spain. Their continued support in our
partnership facilitates our research and educational programmes aboard
the Pride of Bilbao.
Any internet product that P&O Ferries sells through their website,
which includes minicruises, when booked through this link will earn
funding for our research.
Whale Watching
Latest News and Sightings
31/07/10 - WLO Report: Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry Pride of Bilbao 27 - 30 July 2010 - Clive Martin, BDRP Senior Wildlife Officer
Weather: Southbound NW 3, Northbound NW 3-4, 0 in the English Channel
Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus 2, Minke Whale Balaenoptera
acutorostrata 3 (1 breached 12 times), Sperm Whale Physeter
macrocephalus 2, Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris
1, Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melas 8, Common
Dolphin Delphinus delphis 491, Striped Dolphin Stenella
coeruleoalba 97, Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 14,
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 68
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| Minerva |
29/07/10 – News: An Educational Research Trip to Iceland
Marinelife is very pleased to announce a continuation of our exciting collaboration with Swan Hellenic which will see us on board the Minerva on her scheduled round trip from Dover, UK to Iceland via the Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, clockwise round Iceland and Faroe Islands, which left on Wednesday 28th July 2010. Emma Webb and Mike Bailey from Marinelife will be carrying out an extensive passenger education programme as well as monitoring marine wildlife seen during the entire trip.
We hope to be able to keep you updated with our progress and sightings on a daily basis from the ship. Please do keep visiting our blog to read the latest updates and to see the latest photographs. We do hope you enjoy reading about this exciting research trip.
27/07/10 - WLO Report: Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry Pride of Bilbao 25 - 27 July 2010 - John Arnott, BDRP Wildlife Officer, Research Teams Manager
Weather: Southbound WNW - NNW 2-4, Northbound NNW 2-4
Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 2, Rorqual Sp. blow
1, Pygmy/Dwarf Sperm Whale Kogia Sp. 1, Cuvier's Beaked
Whale Ziphius cavirostris 17, Beaked Whale Sp. 1, Long-finned
Pilot Whale Globicephala melas 17, Common Dolphin Delphinus
delphis 262, Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus 3, Striped
Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 140, Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops
truncatus 2, Dolphin Sp. 20, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena
12, Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 1
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Cuvier's Beaked Whale - photo from the trip |
16/07/10 - BDRP Whale & Dolphin Themed Cruise: Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry Pride of Bilbao 13 - 15 July 2010 - Emma Webb, John Arnott, Jackie Smith, Martin Gillingham, Darren Fanner, Andrew Boulden, Amy Tinson
Weather: Southbound SSW 2-6, Northbound NW 7-9 to SW 8-3
Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 1, Cuvier's Beaked
Whale Ziphius cavirostris 1, Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala
melas 4, Large , Whale Sp. 1, Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops
truncatus 17, Dolphin Sp. 14, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena
phocoena 2, Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 7
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 3, Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 12, Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 1, Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus 1, Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 2, Gannet Morus bassanus 48, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1...
16/07/10 - BDRP Whale & Dolphin Themed Cruise: Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry Pride of Bilbao 9 - 12 July 2010 - Emma Webb, John Arnott, Adrian Shephard, Martin Gillingham, Andrew Boulden, Rebecca Scott
Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 2, Sowerby's Beaked Whale Mesoplodon bidens 8, Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris 7, Beaked Whale Sp. 1, Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 30, Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus 2, Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 270, Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 17, Dolphin Sp. 13, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 4, Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 4, Shark Sp. 1, Billfish Sp. 1
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Sowerby's Beaked Whale - photo from the trip |
16/07/10 - WLO Report: Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry Pride of Bilbao 7 - 9 July 2010 - John Arnott, BDRP Wildlife Officer, Research Teams Manager
Weather: Southbound SW-N 1-4, Northbound WNW-ENE 3-5
Beaked Whale Sp. 1, Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melas
16, Killer Whale Orcinus orca 2, Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus 184, Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 2
01/02/10 - Trip Update: BDRP Biscay trips running as planned in summer 2010
Following P&O Ferries announcement of the Portsmouth-Bilbao route withdrawal at the end of September 2010, we would like to reassure all supporters and passengers that our Whale & Dolphin Theme Cruises and Cetacean & Seabird Identification Workshops will be running as planned. Places are going fast on the Workshops and we anticipate that these will be a complete sell-out. Theme Cruises are also now available for booking via P&O Ferries. Please click here: BISCAY TRIPS for more information on both these trips. We will also have a Wildlife Officer on every sailing until the ship stops running in late September.
For more information about the Bilbao service withdrawal please visit the P&O website at: P&O Press Release
Contact Information:
Telephone +44 (0)1202 827957
Email Clive Martin
Email Darren Fanner with questions or comments about this web site.
Registered Charity No. 1110884
Copyright of BDRP 2010