Latest News
01/09/08 - Marinelife Survey Update: ScanMed Survey Reports
The Maersk Newark with two Marinelife researchers on board has completed the first ScanMed survey. See the route and details on the press release. The surveyors have posted 5 updates with photos as they have traveled to Scandinavia, down through the Bay of Biscay and Mediterranean and back to England.
30/08/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Felixstowe-Vlaardingen Maersk Flanders and Maersk Anglia 23 - 24 August 2008 - Fraser Paterson, Azli Zainal
Dolphin Sp. 1, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 1
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 81, Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus 1, Shearwater Sp. 2, Gannet Morus bassanus 65, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1, Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 25, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 5, Parasitic (Arctic) Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 2, Skua sp. 4, Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 5, Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus 1, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 9, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 232, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 2, Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 36, Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 1, 'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 56, Black Tern Chlidonias niger 15, Tern Sp. 65, Gull Sp. 239, Phalarope Sp. 1
11/08/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Poole-Santander Ferry Cotentin 9 - 11 August 2008 - Simon Hartill, Celine Mangan
Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus 34, Large Rorqual sp. 48, Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris 2 (probable), Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melas 2 (probable), Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 42, Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 4
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Cory's Shearwater |
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 31, Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 45, Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 2, European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 14, Gannet Morus bassanus 234, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 3, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 2, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 1, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 15, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 2, Black Tern Chlidonias niger 1, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 8
04/08/08 - Marinelife Survey Update: ScanMed Survey Updates
The Maersk Newark with two Marinelife researchers on board is in its final week and left Izmir in Turkey yesterday en-route back to Felixstowe. See the route and details on the press release. The surveyors have posted 3 updates so far as they have traveled to Scandinavia and then down through the Bay of Biscay and Mediterranean.
22/07/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Felixstowe-Vlaardingen Maersk Explorer outbound, return on Maersk Flanders 19 - 20 July 2008 - Fraser Paterson, Helen Farmer
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 1
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 22, Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 3, Gannet Morus bassanus 159, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 10, Parasitic (Arctic) Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 1, Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 29, Common Gull Larus canus 6, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 18, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 139, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 32, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 9, Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 42, Common Tern Sterna hirundo 10, 'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 96, Guillemot Uria aalge 1, Razorbill Alca torda 1, Tern Sp. 6, Gull Sp. 33
Common Swift Apus apus 1, Sand Martin Riparia riparia c180
22/07/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Poole-Santander Ferry Cotentin 19 - 21 July 2008 - Peter Howlett, Tim Balmer
Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus 11, Large Rorqual sp. 7, Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris 1, Beaked Whale Sp. 2, Small Whale Sp. 1 (probable Minke), Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 61, Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 38, Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 9, Dolphin Sp. 85, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 10
Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 4
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 89, Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 5, Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 8, European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 21, Gannet Morus bassanus 802, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 3, Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus 1, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 10, Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans 15, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 82, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 3, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 39
Common Swift Apus apus 2
21/07/08 - Ultimate Pelagics Iceland Trip (27 June to 9 July 2008)
Photos from this trip have been uploaded and trip reports are available on our blog.
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Minke Whale |
28/06/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Felixstowe-Grangemouth Clonlee 24 - 26 June 2008 - Steve Hughes, Edward Oliver
Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 1, Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melas 1, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 6
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 1, Gannet Morus bassanus 170, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1, Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 3, Common Gull Larus canus 13, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 2, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 3, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 2, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 17, Little Tern Sterna albifrons 1, Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 3, Common Tern Sterna hirundo 2, Puffin Fratercula arctica 31, Guillemot Uria aalge 150
24/06/08 - Helium Balloon Pollution Blights Our Seas
Marinelife monitors record many deflated helium balloons in our seas
On its survey of the Southern North Sea, Marinelife has monitored a worrying number of helium balloons along its wildlife survey route from Felixstowe (UK) to Vlaardingen (Netherlands). This new route with Norfolkline Ferries is surveyed by Marinelife for the presence of marine wildlife including whales, dolphins, porpoises (collectively known as cetaceans) and seabirds and is proving to be very productive.
18/06/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Poole-Santander Ferry Cotentin 14 - 16 June 2008 - Russell Neave, Andrew Palmer
Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus 19, Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus 2, Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 71, Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus 7, Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 294, Dolphin Sp. 50, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 12
Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 9
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 168, Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 9, Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 1, European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 44, Gannet Morus bassanus 1384, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 2, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 56, Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans 1, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 107, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 86, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 4, Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 2, Common Tern Sterna hirundo 22, 'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 3, Black Tern Chlidonias niger 1, Guillemot Uria aalge 1, Razorbill Alca torda 1, Tern Sp. 14, Large Gull Sp. 703
Feral Pigeon Columba livia 132, Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 1, European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur 1, Common Swift Apus apus 3
16/06/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Felixstowe-Vlaardingen 14 - 15 June 2008 - Andrew Boulden, Ian Paynter
Weather: Eastbound – NW 2-1 – Maersk Anglia , Westbound – NW 2-1 – Maersk
Importer
Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 1 (Breaching)
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 37, Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 1, Gannet Morus bassanus 37, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1, Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 1, Common Gull Larus canus 82, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 1, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 126, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 153, Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 1, Common Tern Sterna hirundo 2, Gull Sp. 44
12/06/08 - Make money for you and Marinelife/Biscay Dolphin Research Programme by selling your old mobile phone
We have teamed up with enviroCharities, a scheme dedicated to helping
you as a supporter make money for your old mobile and support Marinelife/Biscay
Dolphin Research Programme at the same time. The process is really simple,
it works by you selling your old mobile phone(s) for anything up to £180
on our website (www.marinelife-bdrp.envirocharities.com)
and for each sale you make, enviroCharities will automatically make a
donation of £3.00 to Marinelife/Biscay Dolphin Research Programme. You
will always receive the value of your phone as listed on the website,
but if you are feeling generous you can also donate a percentage value
of your mobile phone to Marinelife/Biscay Dolphin Research Programme.
Donations can be made in increments of 10% up to 100%.
To sell your phone or see how much it is worth, simply visit www.marinelife-bdrp.envirocharities.com.
22/05/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Poole-Santander Ferry Cotentin 17 - 19 May 2008 - Russell Neave, Hugh Venables
Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus 3, Large Rorqual 1, Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus 1 (probable), Northern Bottlenose Whale Hyperoodon ampullatus 2 (possible), Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris 5, Beaked Whale Sp. 3, Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 139, Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus 6, Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 75, Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 12, Dolphin Sp. 8, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 9
Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 5
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 230, Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 1, Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 21, European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 8, Gannet Morus bassanus 543, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 5, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 52, Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans 49, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 303, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 2, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 3, Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 5, Common Tern Sterna hirundo 3, 'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 4, Guillemot Uria aalge 11, Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii 2 (possible), Gull Sp. 5
Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 1, Common Swift Apus apus 16, Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 2, House Martin Delichon urbicum 22, Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 1, Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus 1
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Cuvier's Beaked Whale |
17/05/08 - Lyme Bay sightings & 2008 Balearic Shearwater Survey details updated
March-early May Spring migration of land and shorebirds
West Bay and surrounding area:
A good selection of birds passing through including Whimbrel,
Common Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover,
Mediterranean Gull, Greenshank, Red Kite, Osprey, good numbers
of Willow Warblers, several Redstarts and
White Wagtails, Grasshopper Warbler, Ring Ouzel and Yellow
Wagtail.
06/05/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Felixstowe-Vlaardingen Clonlee 3 - 4 May 2008 - Hugh Venables, Mike Bailey
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 40, Gannet Morus bassanus 30, Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 5, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1, Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus 3, Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 2, Common Gull Larus canus 5, Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus 5, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 156, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 149, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 8, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 6, Little Tern Sterna albifrons 3, Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 14, Common Tern Sterna hirundo 7, Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 2, Guillemot Uria aalge 2
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 1
05/05/08 - Announcement: Fund raising event - Cycle to Paris
Come
on a fabulous London to Paris cycle ride and help raise funds for Marinelife
and the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme. Details from john.arnott@marine-life.org.uk
25/04/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Poole-Santander Ferry Cotentin 19 - 21 April 2008 - Duncan Fyfe, Jeff Picksley
Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 1, Large Rorqual 1, Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus 6, Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris 1, Beaked Whale Sp. 2, Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melas 5, Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 59, Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus 4, Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 13, Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 37, Dolphin Sp. 8, Cetacean Sp. 2, Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 5
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 37, Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 18, Petrel sp. 263, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 11, Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans 1, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 36, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 3, Little Gull Larus minutus 2, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 6, 'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 11, Guillemot Uria aalge 103, Razorbill Alca torda 7, Auk Sp. 20, Gull Sp. 15, Skua Sp.2
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo 1, Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 18, Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 18, Phylloscopus sp. 1, lark sp. 1, calidris sp. 3, pipit sp. 3, wagtail sp. 1, wader sp. 1
08/04/08 - Charity Takes Steps To Increase Whale & Dolphin Research
‘Marinelife’ extends its vital monitoring of endangered whales and dolphins
‘Marinelife’ has extended its EU-recognised whale and dolphin research conducted in partnership with several well known commercial ferry and transport operators in order to further enhance scientific knowledge on endangered whale, dolphin and seabird populations in and around the UK and European coastlines.
24/03/08 - Marinelife Survey Report: Poole-Santander Ferry (Brittany Ferries freight) 15 - 17 March 2008 - Tom Brereton, Matt Hobbs
Wind F4-9, up to 5.5m swells
Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 73, Dolphin species 5,
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 5
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 51, Gannet Morus bassanus 298, Great Skua Stercorarius skua 80, Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 40, Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 55, Black Headed Gull Larus ridibundus 55, Herring Gull Larus argentatus 5, Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 33, Guillemot Uria aalge 46, Razorbill Alca torda 40, Auk Sp. 5, Gull Sp. 1
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 1, Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 2, Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis 11
16/03/08 - Whale and Dolphin Charity "Marinelife" Expands Its Research
‘Marinelife’ will be expanding its essential research covering whales, dolphins and oceanic bird life in collaboration with Brittany Ferries Freight and their new ship Cotentin on the Poole to Santander route.
To facilitate this ‘Marinelife’, a European marine conservation research charity, is being supported by The Haven Hotel at Sandbanks, Poole, to run a land-based training session, in scientific marine mammal and seabird monitoring methods on 6th April 2008.
01/03/08 - Press Release: Charity Monitors Plastic Bag Spread from Land to Sea
Marinelife monitors UK Waters for discarded plastic bags which kill whales
Marinelife welcomes any move to reduce the impact discarded plastic bags are having on our oceans. The charity which conducts year round whale and dolphin research in the English Channel, North Sea and Bay of Biscay has also been working closely with Aberdeen University for over 2 years to record all plastic rubbish along its research route.
Ed. - I've added a link for Plastic Bag Free Modbury which has an interesting page on plastic pollution and infomation on reducing the use of plastic bags.
31/01/08 - Become a Cetacean & Sea Bird Surveyor with Marinelife/Biscay Dolphin Research Programme
Marinelife, which has been operating its successful Biscay Dolphin Research Programme for 13 years, is running a special shore-based training opportunity at RSPB Rainham Marshes for volunteer whale and dolphin surveyors for a new all -year survey route operating out of Felixstowe and covering the North Sea area as well as other survey routes.
The programme will include an introduction to ocean-going cetacean and seabird survey techniques and protocols, a brief overview of identification issues, guidelines on how to become more actively involved with Marinelife/BDRP pelagic surveys and an opportunity to network with key personnel and other volunteer surveyors.
This will be followed up with opportunities for more rigorous scientific training at sea under the guidance of experienced team leaders through our programme of monthly research voyages on ferry routes in the English Channel and Bay of Biscay as well as an exciting new route from Felixstowe covering the North Sea area. This will ensure that all data collected by volunteer researchers during ongoing projects is of the same high quality and continues to be at the forefront of current best practice.
The event will be held in the RSPB Rainham Marshes Visitor's Centre. It will include information on:
Survey methodology
Using the Recording Forms
Explanation of terms
Bridge protocols & general behaviour
Team structure & operation
Information on the route & identification of cetaceans, birds and other marine life likely to be observed
This introductory training event is being held at RSPB Rainham Marshes on Thursday 7th February 2008 at 19:00h. There is a nominal charge of £5 per person to help cover expenses, payable in advance.
To register for this course or for further details, including booking information, please email Emma Webb, Marinelife Community and Operations Officer, at emma.webb@biscay-dolphin.org.uk
24/01/08 - Charity Takes Plight Of Dolphins To The European Commission
Marinelife discussing drastic dolphin decline and positive action
Following the reported drastic decrease in dolphin numbers in the Bay of Biscay by wildlife research and conservation charity Marinelife during the summer of 2007, the charity’s Chairman Clive Martin was invited to share its findings in more detail with the EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Joe Borg, in Strasbourg earlier this week on 15th January.
Registered Charity No. 1110884
Copyright of Marinelife 2008