Cetacean Survey Training Courses in New Quay, West Wales
Join a short course to learn all about British cetaceans, how to survey for
them, and contribute to their conservation!
Two-days weekend course, 25-26th August 2012
The course will consist of illustrated lectures and video presentations as
well as headland watches and boat surveys aboard a local research vessel.
The area where land and boat trips will be undertaken is the Cardigan Bay
Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a place well-known for the presence and
high sighting frequency of bottlenose dolphins (the largest population in
the UK), harbour porpoises and grey seals. These populations are protected
in the SAC following the 1992 EU Species and Habitat Directive.
The Sea Watch Foundation is the most experienced organisation in the UK for
training observers and students interested in marine mammals, having run
courses for over ten years. It has provided training for staff from all
three national statutory conservation agencies, the Environment Agency,
CEFAS, Department of the Environment, Wildlife Trusts, Royal Navy, and MMOs
working with the oil and gas industries. Most of the field guides on
cetaceans on the market in UK have actually been written or had
consultations from the Sea Watch Foundation. Thus we hope we can guarantee a
very high level training course given by highly experienced staff.
The lectures and videos will focus on general biology and classification of
cetaceans, species identification, conservation issues facing UK cetaceans,
and recommended monitoring survey methods. The course will be based at New
Quay, Ceredigion, West Wales, where our Welsh office is based, and will
provide an unparalleled opportunity to see marine mammals in the wild and to
contribute to cetacean conservation in Britain.
The practical element of the course will combine both land and boat-based
surveys allowing participants to directly learn how to conduct systematic
watches and fill in standardised recording forms.
Land and Boat-based work will teach participants the skills needed for:
*
identifying the various cetaceans species found in the area
*
estimating group size and distinguishing between calves, juveniles
and adults
*
determining cetacean behaviours
*
assessing sea state and other key environmental features
*
learning some basic photographic techniques aimed at identifying
single individuals
For further information go to <http://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/>
www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk or contact Danielle Gibas
(danielle.gi...@seawatchfoundation.org.uk)
If you would like to apply, download an application form from the website
and post along with a cheque to:
Sea Watch Foundation/Training Courses
Paragon House
Wellington Place
New Quay
SA45 9NR
Wales, UK
_______________________________________________
MARMAM mailing list
MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca
https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
