Sea Watch Foundation
Focus: Conservation and Marine biology.
Become a Fan. Follow Us. Subscribe To YouTube.
Project Description
Sea Watch Foundation, through its continuous programme of research and monitoring, provides invaluable information on changes to the status and distribution of cetacean populations and the condition of their habitats. This is used to raise awareness of any issues and prompt environmental change to help conserve and protect these mysterious creatures.
Sea Watch’s work could not be completed without the help of numerous hard-working volunteers, both in the office and in the field. There is also a network of regional coordinators and volunteer observers all around the UK coastline who are dedicated to providing data and support to Sea Watch through recording and reporting all sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises.
The information gathered by Sea Watch and our network of observers has been the primary source of knowledge about the relative status and distribution of cetacean around the British Isles.
The project takes care of the conservation management of the bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise and grey seal populations of Cardigan Bay, Wales, monitoring their abundance, distribution, and reproductive success and population structure using a combination of line-transect, photo-identification, land-base and acoustic surveys.
The Sea Watch Foundation is a registered marine environmental research charity that aims to achieve better conservation of whales and dolphins in the seas around Britain and Ireland, by involving the public in the scientific monitoring of cetaceans.
Volunteer Information
Costs & Benefits
Requirements
Contact information
Project Summary
The work of the Sea Watch Foundation (SWF) could not be carried out without the help of a dedicated team of volunteers assisting in ongoing research and education projects as well as with data inputting, analysis and various administrative tasks in the New Quay office in Wales.
During the winter, our needs are primarily office-based; organising and analysing data collected during the previous field season, processing cetacean sightings for our UK national cetacean sightings database, and developing scientific reports from these data and public education materials. We also need help with updating the Cardigan Bay photo-identification catalogue, organising other photo-identification data from all around the UK and sorting images for the photo-library and the Europhlukes catalogue. In the summer season, we require a team of dedicated research and education volunteers in our office in New Quay, West Wales.
The best and easiest way to get involved on a regular basis is to contact your regional co-ordinator and join him/her for a land-based watch for whales, dolphin and porpoises.
Volunteers will help with land- and boat-based surveys and photo-id studies, database entry, awareness raising and education initiatives, acoustic monitoring, and will assist with and participate in training courses
No participation fee. Accommodation is provided at a rate of £50/week. Volunteers are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and living expenses. Newly refurbished 5-bedrooms house 15 min walk from the centre, with all comforts and a large garden. Rooms are shared (2-3 people) pillow, beddings and duvets provided.
Biology/environmental science degree if possible, IT skills, some photo-id experience, some marine mammal research experience, strong commitment, team work. To apply send cv, covering letter and contact details of 2 referees, reporting any relevant experience.
Sea Watch Foundation
Ewyn y Don
Bull Bay, Amlwch
Isle of Anglesey
Wales, LL68 9SD
UK
Tel: +44 (0)1545 561227
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website: www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk
Location: Cardigan Bay, Wales
Average cost per day:£8
Focus: Conservation and Marine biology
Skills needed: Volunteers must be at least 18 years old