Public urged to get binoculars out and spot marine mammals
ISLANDERS will have a chance to take part in National Whale and Dolphin Watch Week, which starts on Saturday.
The Bailiwick DolFin Project, in support of the Sea Watch Foundation, are hosting daily watches from 24 July until 1 August.
They hope to capture a snapshot of the status and distribution of the creatures in UK coastal waters.
The shore watches are free and open to everyone.
The boat trips with Out the Blue require pre-booking and cost £15 per person.
Bailiwick DolFin Project co-ordinator Nicky Harris said they hope gaining this data will draw attention to the conservation of the local marine environment.
She said it was an exciting opportunity for young marine conservation enthusiasts to get involved, as no official training was required.
‘It is just fantastic,’ she said. ‘We’ve seen loads more bottlenose dolphins this year, every year there is more, even some pods with juveniles.’
She added that the organisation is also looking for islanders to donate spare, working binoculars, so more volunteers can get involved.
‘Everyone should have access to be able to do this regardless of funding, we don’t want to turn people away because they can’t afford the equipment,’ she said.
Islanders can contact the team via their email address to arrange either drop-off or collection of the binoculars.
Ms Harris added that the team were very thankful for the Condor Community Fund and the Waitrose and Partners Foundation, who donated enough money to buy four more advanced binoculars and scopes for volunteers to use.
n To pre-book a boat trip, see the sea watch survey schedule or donate binoculars, contact dolfinproject@outlook.com.
