South West Marine Ecosystems 2014

April 4th PML Plymouth

Delegate Notes Programme and Contacts

Draft March 31st 2014

These notes contain the programme, speaker descriptions of their talks and the delegate contacts (to 31 st
March); they will not be available at the meeting. The 2014 South West Marine Ecosystems Meeting (SWME)
meeting will take place in the new lecture theatre at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML
http://www.pml.ac.uk/Contact-us ) on April 4th. The full programme is set out below but the objectives of
the meeting include:

1. Networking To provide a networking opportunity for a wide cross section of people to meet and
exchange views on south-west marine ecosystems; this would include volunteer observations and
schemes, marine science and research interests, managers and a range of sea users including
nature conservation, fishing, tourism etc.

2. To assess the annual events ecological and oceanographic - of the previous year that have

affected the south west marine ecosystems making the linkages between environmental and
biological phenomena e.g. SST on plankton or mackerel and cetaceans. We will be asking
delegates to contribute their observations on 2013.

3. Ecology of mainly mobile species To explore research studies that throw particular light on aspects
of ecology of marine species, and in particular mobile species (fish, birds, mammals, turtles) and
the ecosystem that supports them and to understand the status of populations of marine species in
the south west and how they are responding to environmental and anthropogenic pressures

4. Management and southwest marine ecosystems To understand the linkages between science to
managing human activities the marine environment with a view to supporting the health of
southwest marine ecosystems

Programme
8.45 Registration and refreshments
Session 1 - Weather, Events & Observations in 2013, Oceanography
9.30 - Welcome and Introduction to the day
Chair: Abigail McQuatters-Gollop, SAHFOS
9.35 - Events & observations in 2013: Delegates will be invited to bring along and comment on the events
and their observations of 2013 using structured approach, including the effects of the storms of 2014
Facilitated by Bob Earll, CMS
10.10 - View from the Western Channel Observatory 2013: a year on the edges of the envelope
Tim Smyth, Western Channel Observatory, PML
10.30 - Satellite observations of SW oceanography in 2013, and developments in using fronts to describe
ecological interactions
Peter Miller, PML
10.45 - Results of a multi-trophic level study in 2013
Lavina Suberg, NOC

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11.00 - Marine top predators and oceanographic fronts: are fronts used as foraging habitats?
Kylie Scales, PML/Plymouth University
11.15 - 11.30 Discussion with the previous three speakers
11.30 - Significant shorts short presentations and updates 4 x 5 mins
11.30 - Fine-scale physical controls of top predator foraging? - Samantha Cox Plymouth University
11.35 - Calanus helgolandicus trends in the English Channel over 25 years - Jacqueline Maud PML
11.40 - Storm events and the impacts on sea populations - Dan Jarvis Cornwall Sea Group
11.45 - New NERC/Defra Marine Ecosystems research in the south-west - Paul Somerfield PML
11.50 - Marine wildlife natural history from north Devon Dave Jenkins presented by Bob Earll
11.55 - 12.35

First break: Sandwiches and refreshments

Session 2 - Fish and mobile species

Chair: Wesley Smyth, Team Leader, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Regional Seas Team, Natural England
12.35 - Fish productivity in the south west assessing small pelagic fish populations
Jeroen van der Kooij, Cefas
12.55 - Seal site variability revealed by sustainable citizen science: a perspective of seal sites in the South
West
Sue Sayer Cornwall Seal Group
13.15 - Gannets: at-sea distribution and origins of birds in the south-west
Steve Votier, Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus
13.35 - Significant shorts short presentations and updates 4 x 5 mins
13.35 - Polyisobutene and the south west bird wreck - Niki Clear Cornwall Wildlife Trust
13.40 - CWT Seaquest work which has included the basking shark surveys this past year - Abby Crosby
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
13.45 - Great Eggcase Hunt; using citizen science to enhance our understanding of species diversity and
distribution - Cat Gordon Shark Trust
13.50 - Angler Recording Project; do records from recreational anglers accurately reflect known diversity John Richardson Shark Trust
13.55 14.40 Second break: Cakes and refreshments
Session 3 - Using science to inform marine management
Chair: Samantha Davis, Principal Scientific Officer, Cornwall Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority
14.40 -14.55 - The Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Celtic Seas Partnership
Natasha Barker Bradshaw, Celtic Seas Partnership - WWF-UK
14.55 -15.10 - 'The future is bright, the future is yellow. Result of the Banana Pinger Trial'
Ruth Williams, Marine Conservation Manager for Cornwall Wildlife Trust
15.10 15.25 - Bottlenose dolphin conservation a critical assessment
Simon Ingram, Plymouth University
15.25 15.40

Discussion panel with the previous 3 speakers

15.40 16.10 What criteria should we use to assess the importance of areas for mobile marine wildlife in
coastal and open sea situations
Nigel Symes, Marine Life & RSPB

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Discussion panel
16.10 - Observations on porpoise ecology and images from the work of Marine Discovery
Hannah Jones and Duncan Jones, Marine Discovery
16.30 Close and refreshments

Delegate Notes
Events & observations in 2013: Delegates will be invited to bring along and
comment on the events and their observations of 2013 using structured
approach, including the effects of the storms of 2014
Bob Earll - Facilitating
One of the themes of the SWME events has been to consider the events of the previous year and its
highlighted in the objective:
2.To assess the annual events ecological and oceanographic - of the previous year that have affected
the south west marine ecosystems making the linkages between environmental and biological
phenomena e.g. SST on plankton or mackerel and cetaceans. We will be asking delegates to contribute
their observations on 2013
Delegates have been asked to think about their observations from 2013 (and event sheet is available). This
session will be in two parts the first will concentrate on 2013 and the second the impacts of the winter storms.
Delegates will be asked to record interest events and categorise them. After the conference these will be
typed and circulated to delegates.
There is an interesting challenge. Quite a lot of groups produce annual reports of what they see and do
although these often come out during the following year. Lots of people keep lists of the relative
abundance of their records for the year. If summaries and relative abundance lists were edited/collated
into one document it would be useful way of getting a more rounded picture of events in the south west in
any one year.
I will ask the audience if individuals/organisations have any interest in collaborating on producing such a
report.

View from the Western Channel Observatory 2013: a year on the edges of
the envelope
Tim Smyth
Western Channel Observatory, PML
Email: TJSM@pml.ac.uk
The Western Channel Observatory (WCO) is an oceanographic time-series and marine biodiversity
reference site in the Western English Channel. In situ measurements are undertaken weekly at coastal
station L4 and fortnightly at open shelf station E1 using the research vessels of the Plymouth Marine
Laboratory and the Marine Biological Association. These measurements are complemented by PML's
recognised excellence in ecosystem modelling and satellite remote sensing science. By integrating these
different observational disciplines we can begin to disentangle the complexity of the marine ecosystem.

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In this presentation I will give an overview of 2013 at the WCO, which were certainly on the edge of the
envelope: early in the year there was a protracted cold spell, whereas the end of the year was marked by
notable warmth following the best summer for at least 7 years. Early data from 2014 seem to show that we
have expanded on the envelope however ...

Satellite observations of SW oceanography in 2013, and developments in

using fronts to describe ecological interactions
Peter I. Miller
Remote Sensing Group, Plymouth Marine Laboratory,
Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK
Email: pim@pml.ac.uk
The first part of this presentation will summarise unusual aspects of the SW oceanography during 2013 that
can be observed using satellite imagery, primarily using the sea-surface temperature, ocean colour, and
thermal fronts. These will be related where possible to forcing factors.
We have studied the distribution of oceanic fronts observed by satellite as a proxy for enhanced pelagic
productivity to help understand the foraging hotspots of cetaceans and seabirds, and to assist the
delineation of marine protected areas (MPAs) (Miller and Christodoulou, 2014). Frequent front zones are
associated with higher abundance of plankton, certain pelagic fish and megafauna, and have influenced
the boundaries of several Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the high seas in order to
incorporate migration paths or foraging locations. These tools are also contributing to a pilot project for
optimal monitoring of MPAs using sea gliders. The second part will summarise how satellite ocean front data
have contributed to these studies, and explain how the various front metrics may be linked to other animal
datasets.
Miller, P.I. & Christodoulou, S. (2014) Frequent locations of ocean fronts as an indicator of pelagic diversity:
application to marine protected areas and renewables. Marine Policy. 45, 318329.
doi: 10.1016/j.marpol.2013.09.009
More information: http://www.neodaas.ac.uk/supportedscience/fronts_megafauna.php
Other satellite data (e.g. SST, Chl-a) available from NEODAAS: http://www.neodaas.ac.uk/datasets.php

Assessing the potential of autonomous submarine gliders for ecosystem

monitoring across multiple trophic levels (plankton to cetaceans) in shallow
shelf seas
Lavinia Suberg
PhD student, National Oceanography Centre Southampton
European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH
Phone: +44 (0)238059 6544
Email: lavinia.suberg@noc.soton.ac.uk
A combination of scientific, economic, technological and policy drivers are behind a recent upsurge in the
use of marine autonomous systems (and accompanying miniaturized sensors) for environmental mapping
and monitoring. Increased spatial-temporal resolution and coverage of data, at reduced cost, is
particularly vital for effective spatial management of highly dynamic and heterogeneous shelf
environments. This proof-of-concept study involves integration of a novel combination of sensors onto
buoyancy-driven submarine gliders, in order to assess their suitability for ecosystem monitoring in shelf waters
at a variety of trophic levels. Two shallow-water Slocum gliders were equipped with CTD and fluorometer to

South West Ecosystems

measure physical properties and chlorophyll, respectively. One glider was also equipped with a singlefrequency echosounder to collect information on zooplankton and fish distribution. The other glider carried
a Passive Acoustic Monitoring system to detect and record cetacean vocalisations, and a passive sampler
to detect chemical contaminants in the water column. The two gliders were deployed together off
southwest UK in autumn 2013, and targeted a known tidal-mixing front west of the Isles of Scilly. The gliders
mission undertook about 40 days, with each glider traveling distances of >1000km and undertaking >2500
dives to depths of up to 100m. Controlling glider flight and alignment of the two glider trajectories proved to
be particularly challenging due to strong tidal flows. However, the gliders continued to collect data in poor
weather when an accompanying research vessel was unable to operate. In addition, all glider sensors
generated useful data, with particularly interesting initial results relating to subsurface chlorophyll maxima
and numerous fish/cetacean detections within the water column. The broader implications of this study for
marine ecosystem monitoring with submarine gliders investigated.
More information on marine robotics systems can be found here:
www.noc.ac.uk/research-at-sea/nmfss/mars

Marine predators and oceanographic fronts: are fronts used as foraging

habitats?
Scales, K.L.1, Miller, P.I.1, Embling, C.B.2, Ingram, S.N.2, Pirotta, E.3 & Votier, S.C.4
1.
2.
3.
4.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, UK

Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Plymouth University, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK

A diverse range of marine predators including seabirds, cetaceans, sharks, seals and turtles are thought to
associate with oceanographic fronts, transitions between water masses. Nutrient retention along fronts, and
the aggregation of plankton, can attract higher trophic-level marine vertebrates and lead to the
development of pelagic foraging hotspots. However, front formation is driven by a variety of
oceanographic processes, so there is considerable variability in spatial scale, persistence, cross-frontal
gradient and the properties of surrounding water masses. These factors are likely to influence the degree to
which a front is attractive to foraging predators.
Here, we use composite front mapping (Miller, 2009) with high-resolution GPS tracking to determine the
significance of mesoscale (10s 100s kms) fronts as drivers of foraging habitat selection in northern gannets
Morus bassanus in the Celtic Sea. Tracking 66 chick-rearing gannets from Grassholm over two years, we
found that gannets do not always respond to contemporaneous thermal or chl-a fronts as foraging cues.
However, foraging was more likely to occur within spatially predictable, persistent frontal zones. These results
indicate that persistent fronts may be more attractive than ephemeral fronts, and that gannets may have
learnt to target predictably profitable regions of habitat.

Interactions between oceanography and the foraging behaviour of top

predators at a frontal system off the North Cornwall coast
Cox, SL1; Hosegood, PJ1; Embling, CB1; Ingram, SN1; Votier SC2
1

Plymouth University, UK
Exeter University, UK

Email: samantha.cox@plymouth.ac.uk
Understanding how marine top predators such as seabirds and marine mammals utilise their environment
and interact with prey is essential for the effective protection and management of the marine environment.
Here we briefly present results from at-sea boat surveys conducted during August, 2012 and 2013.
Observations of top predators were taken alongside in-situ measurements of oceanography along transects
traversing a front at the wave hub site off the North Cornwall coast. Results suggest that, over fine scales

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(~1km) within the frontal region, the distributions and behaviours of Northern gannets Morus bassanus and
Common dolphins Delphinus delphis are in part influenced by the production and distribution of primary
production. Further oceanographic surveys suggest this primary production is driven and sustained by the
movement of the front with the spring-neap tidal cycle. The implications of these findings are briefly
discussed with reference to anthropogenic activities in the area.

Calanus helgolandicus and a changing climate: analysis of a 25-year time

series from the English Channel
Jacqueline Maud
PhD Researcher, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and Queen Mary University of London
Plankton Group, MLSS, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK
Phone: 01752 633165,
Email: jama@pml.ac.uk
Calanus helgolandicus is a dominant copepod species occurring in warm, temperate European waters.
Commensurate with the recent warming of the North Sea, C. helgolandicus distribution has undergone a
northward expansion with subsequent replacement of its cold-water sub-Arctic cousin Calanus
finmarchicus. This work analyses C. helgolandicus adult and copepodite abundance (1988-2012) and egg
production rate data (1992-2012) from the English Channel Station L4 time-series.
This presentation will explore the population dynamics of C. helgolandicus over a 25-year timescale and
associated environmental and plankton abundance data (temperature, stratification, and phytoplankton,
predators) to predict how this ecosystem may be modified in future climate scenarios. In particular, the
seasonality of C. helgolandicus abundance and egg production will be scrutinised over the 25 years to look
for evidence of changing seasonal cycles.

When the storms came

Dan Jarvis
Advanced Marine Mammal Medic, British Divers Marine Life Rescue
British Divers Marine Life Rescue, Lime House, Regency Close, Uckfield, East Sussex, U.K. TN22 1DS, Secretary
to the Cornwall Seals Group
Email: dan@cornwallsealgroup.co.uk
Website: www.bdmlr.org.uk
This short talk illustrates the combined effects of the severe storms and high tides upon the number of
emergency calls received by British Divers Marine Life Rescue in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the winter
of 2013-14 and the immense pressure put upon volunteer Medics and resources in dealing with the situation.
In a typical year, the region usually receives an average of 150 callouts in total for all common species
reported (seals, cetaceans, birds, sharks and turtles) as being in distress to the hotline, the majority of these
being received between October to January as it coincides with the grey seal pupping season. From the
15th December 2013 to the 5th February 2014 (53 days) a series of severe storms set in that coincided with
some exceptionally high tides, bringing tidal surges, gale force winds, heavy rainfall and extremely large,
powerful waves. Through this period, BDMLR Medics responded to 100 callouts, approximately twice the
expected number. Despite being a volunteer-based organisation, all callouts were still promptly dealt with
as per usual standards no matter how thinly spread resources became and space in rehabilitation centres
became, demonstrating the robustness and effectiveness of the groups involved BDMLR, Cornish Seal
Sanctuary and RSPCA West Hatch.

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Observations on the behaviour of marine birds and mammals on the North

Coast of Devon
Dave Jenkins
Email: jenkins945@btinternet.com
Phone: 07970 0115542
I have been observing marine life on the North Devon coast for many years, but more systematically for the
last 20 years. This series of photographs illustrates some of the interesting behaviours I have observed in that
time. Most of the photographs were taken with a Nikon 5000 with a 70/300mm telephoto lens. Frequency: I
visit headlands in North Devon three or four times a week throughout the year. Locations: The main locations
I watch from are the headlands of Bull Point, Morte Point and Baggy Point, in the Morte Bay, Woolacombe
area.
Porpoise Porpoise are difficult to see and can only be seen in winds of less than force 2; in these
conditions observations of porpoise are frequent throughout the year (approximately 90% of visits). I watch
the porpoise from local headlands, and animals are visible on tidal races further offshore, as well as reefs
very close in. One key indicator of likely porpoise presence is gannets feeding in the vicinity. The gannets
and porpoise follow a distinct pattern of movements, often at specific times and tidal races - suggesting
that the gannets are looking for signs of porpoise feeding (co-feeding). In the slide sequence shown here a
group of three porpoise were very close to the shore and engaging in what looks like sexual activity (July
2011). This is the only time I have seen this activity, making it a very rarely photographed occurrence.
Gannets These are often observed feeding in tidal races associated with specific reefs; state of the tide is
an important factor. The gannets can see the porpoise chasing the fish bringing them nearer the surface.
The two pictures shown illustrate a gannet with two large fish from one dive and a gannet on a very shallow
dive for fish near the surface.
Ocean sunfish Ocean sunfish are seen at the surface most years but are not frequent. I generally observe
sunfish two to three times a year, during the summer months when they migrate into the Bristol Channel.
Three different views of the fish are shown: with a fin vertical in the water, the mouth at the surface, and the
fish sideways on. When looking down from the cliff above, first impressions are often of a floating piece of
plastic - but then this plastic dives and disappears from view!
Grey seals I carry out photo ID and counts of grey seals for Sue Sayer. These seals have a regular summer
haul out on the rocky coast at Morte Point; this is not a breeding site. Up to 20 individuals can be seen at
any one time. Presumably when they feed on small fish they eat these easily and quickly underwater,
however, they also feed on much larger fish that are found on inshore reefs including conger eels, ballan
wrasse and rays. Feeding on these larger fish seems to prompt a different feeding behaviour and they bring
them to the surface to eat. With conger eels, they skin the fish completely head to tail - before eating
them. Presumably there is something they dont like in the skin of the eel. I have observed this surface
feeding behaviour when eating congers for the last four years, once each year and among different
animals.
Kemps Ridley turtle In January a Kemps Ridley turtle washed up on Woolacombe beach. The Zoological
Society of London team collected this several weeks ago. Kemps Ridley turtles nest on one major beach in
Mexico and are occasionally stranded off UK coasts. It seems that these are mainly immature animals that
have been washed by accident across the Atlantic because their major migration is up and down the
American east coast.

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The Marine Ecosystems Research Programme

Paul Somerfield
Principal Investigator, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH
Phonel: 01752 633100
Email: pjso@pml.ac.uk
Coastal and shelf marine ecosystems are highly productive, bringing great benefits to humans. These
benefits, called "ecosystem services" include food supply, recycling and recreation. Coastal and shelf seas
are under great pressure from factors such as fishing and climate change. Despite years of intensive study,
our knowledge of how shelf ecosystems work is still patchy. Therefore we cannot yet predict how they will
respond to changes.
This talk is a brief introduction to the NERC/Defra Marine Ecosystems Research Programme. In the
programme researchers with complementary track records from across a number of UK institutes will
develop an integrated, whole-ecosystem approach to understand how changes occur in marine
ecosystems and how these affect the services they provide.
We will:
a) synthesise and analyse the vast array of existing, but scattered, data,
b) target key data gaps and choke-points in our understanding with focussed fieldwork and
experimentation and
c) combine these into a suite of computer models that explore future consequences of changes and
perturbations for ecosystem services.
Our geographical focus will be the western seas, from the western English Channel, through the Celtic and
Irish Seas, to western Scotland, although relevant data from a wider area will be included.
www.marine-ecosystems.org.uk
http://www.pml.ac.uk/about_us/pml_people/paul_somerfield.aspx
http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=ESTzLfAAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul_Somerfield/
https://www.facebook.com/MarineLifeSupportSystems?ref=stream
http://www.marine-ecosystems.org.uk/

Fish productivity in the waters of the southwest assessing small pelagic fish
populations
Dr Jeroen Van Der Kooij
Pelagic Ecologist
Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences (Cefas)
Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT
Phone: 01502 524416
Email: Jeroen.vanderkooij@cefas.co.uk
The coastal waters of Southwest England contain a rich diversity of small pelagic fish species. Two dominant
species are sprat and sardine which are targeted by locally important ringnet- and trawl fisheries. In recent
years other species such as anchovy have started to appear in large numbers, providing a lucrative
opportunistic supplement to the existing fisheries. The region is also considered an important nursery area for
mackerel and has been closed for mackerel trawling activities since the nineties to prevent further bycatch
of juvenile mackerel. Other than being targeted by fisheries, these species are a key component in the
foodweb as they are the main prey to most top predators, such as marine mammals, birds, large sharks and
commercially important whitefish.

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A lot of the knowledge about the small pelagic fish in the area is based on landing data as well as
anecdotal information and is in need of evaluation. There has for example been speculation that a
regional rise in water temperature has increased its importance as a transitional area at both the northern
and southern limit of several species (e.g. sardine and herring respectively), as well as contributing to the
increase in landings of many of the pelagic fish species. The results of the first two pelagic surveys, part of
the new five-year Defra funded project POSEIDON, are presented. The project aims to collect information
on the productivity of this region of the UKs seas, its contribution to the ecosystem and more widely
distributed stocks, by gathering field-data on the various components of the foodweb, from the physical
oceanography, through to small pelagic fish to top predators. Evidence gathered in this project will not only
contribute to the stock assessments of pelagic fishes but also to a better understanding of the foodweb and
general ecology.

Seal site variability revealed by sustainable citizen science a perspective of

seal sites in the South West
Sue Sayer
Chair of Cornwall Seal Group
Email: sue@cornwallsealgroup.co.uk
Website: www.cornwallsealgroup.co.uk
The presence of Grey seals in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has been established since Mesolithic and late
Neolithic times to the present day. Understanding how seals utilise their habitat forms a crucial basis for their
conservation. Previous studies of seals in SW have involved incomplete snapshots of data over time and
space. Since 2008 Cornwall Seal Group has been engaging with a large number of citizen scientists to
support them in studying their own patch of coast systematically. A holistic view of seal sites across the SW
has been achieved over longer time periods that previously possible. The results show seal considerable seal
site variability in terms of habitat use, seasonality, the number of seals present and their age and sex class.
The talk will illustrate the SWs network of seal sites and their use by seals that will inform future conservation
efforts.

Colony specific foraging of gannets

Stephen Votier
Senior Lecturer Natural Environment, Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Cornwall
Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
Phone: +44 (0) 1326 259416
Email: S.C.Votier@exeter.ac.uk
Website: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/people/votier/
Among colonial animals foraging segregation is typically thought to occur only among eusocial species.
Recent tracking of 184 breeding northern gannets Morus bassanus from 12 neighbouring colonies revealed
that these birds partition themselves spatially according to their colony of origin, despite no evidence of
territorial behaviour. These differences likely arise because of competition both within and among colonies
and are also re-enforced via the transfer of social information both at the colony and at-sea. These findings
shed new light on the form and function of colonial living and also suggest new perspectives in our
understanding of the at-sea behaviour of marine top predators.

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Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Networks key role in the 2013
Polyisobutene spill and the south west bird wreck
Niki Clear
Marine Data Officer, Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network
Phone: 01872 273939 (Ext. 243)
Email: niki.clear@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
Website: www.cwtstrandings.org & www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/livingseas
Address: ERCCIS, C/O Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall TR4 9DJ
Between February and April 2013 saw the worst mass mortality for the marine birds caused by Polyisobutene.
Over 4,200 sea birds were recorded dead on the beaches of the Southwest England, with many more
thousands unrecorded. The CWT Marine Strandings Network staff and volunteers played a key role in
responding this this crisis; acting a point of contact for members of the public, volunteers and collaborating
organisations working on the ground and to collate all the information and data; such as British Divers
Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), RSPB,
Environmental Agency, Cornwall Council and Maritime Management Organisation amongst many others.
Of the 4,200 total, 2,588 birds were reported to the Marine Strandings Network hotline and through the
tireless work of our volunteers going out day after day to count and collect hundreds of birds. And with the
dedicated work of the government, conservation organisations, campaigners and concerned members of
the public, a ban on discharging of PIB at sea is now in place around the world which will help to prevent
such as disaster from happening again.

Seaquest Southwest Citizen Science Contributing to Conservation

Abigail Crosby
Marine Conservation Officer, Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Phone 01872 240777 ext 208
Mobile: 07973400183
Email: abby.crosby@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
Address: Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ
The data required to understand much of our marine megafauna ecology is challenging and expensive to
obtain, therefore incidental sightings and strandings data are highly valuable but potentially underused
resources in the Southwest. In response to this, Cornwall Wildlife Trust has been recording marine wildlife
sighting reports for the joint Cornwall and Devon Wildlife Trusts Seaquest Southwest public recording
scheme for over 20 years, in conjunction with the Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of
Scilly (ERCCIS) to further our understanding of our coastline to marine life.
Seaquest Southwest aims to;

engage people in,

collect data about,
and use that information for the better understanding and conservation of, marine and
coastal wildlife in the southwest.

As part of the Seaquest programme, we;

collate ad hoc public sightings of

recruit, train and support volunteers to carry out effort based surveys around the county for
and run a public events programme to engage the communities and tourists to the county in

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marine and coastal wildlife in the southwest

Public recording schemes such as this are immensely important for cetacean research and conservation; in
addition to providing useful insight into obvious trends and a basic understand of significant population
patterns, visual sighting schemes and volunteer science are an importance source of public engagement
and a useful tool in raising awareness of the issues and threats facing our cetacean populations in Cornwall.
www.cornwallwilldifetrust.org.uk/livingseas

Great Eggcase Hunt; using citizen science to enhance our understanding of

species diversity and distribution
Cat Gordon
Conservation Officer, The Shark Trust
Phone: (01752) 672020
Email: cat@sharktrust.org
Website: www.sharktrust.org & www.eggcase.org
Address: 4 Creykes Court, 5 Craigie Drive, The Millfields, Plymouth, PL1 3JB
Citizen science the involvement of volunteers in science - can be a useful tool to engage members of the
public, raise awareness and aid scientific data and information collection. In order to create effective
protected areas and to better manage fisheries we need to know as much as possible about shark
populations and movements. The Trust has a number of citizen science projects which contribute to this,
including the Great Eggcase Hunt. This project was initially conceived as a way to raise public awareness of
the presence and diversity of elasmobranchs in British waters, whilst also securing knowledge on the broad
distribution of oviparous species.
The Great Eggcase Hunt represents an easily accessible source of information on the diversity of egglaying
elasmobranch populations. There are 16 species of skate that are regularly encountered in UK coastal
waters the eggcases of eight of these species, along with two catsharks, are often washed ashore and
reported to the project. Records submitted to the Great Eggcase Hunt can supplement scientificallycollected data on neonates and juveniles from Cefas groundfish surveys, in order to identify areas of
importance for juvenile elasmobranchs.
Eleven years on, and this popular marine volunteer recording programme has seen over 48,000 individual
records submitted. Momentum is building as the project expands in the UK, as well as internationally into the
USA and Netherlands. It must be recognised that citizen science does not provide a fully comprehensive
dataset, as it relies on occasional finds/submissions rather than being survey-based. However once verified,
information can become data and by harnessing modern technology and public enthusiasm for science, it
can increase the datasets available to the Trust for use in tangible conservation benefits.

The Shark Trust Angler Recording Project: do records from recreational

anglers accurately reflect known diversity?
John Richardson
Conservation Officer the Shark Trust
Phone: 01752 672020
Email: john@sharktrust.org
Website: www.sharktrust.org
Address: 4 Creykes Ct., 5 Craigie Dr., The Millfields, Plymouth, PL1 3JB

South West Ecosystems

The waters surrounding the Southwest of England are home to considerable elasmobranch diversity. The
region is also a focus for recreational sea-anglers from throughout the UK, who identify elasmobranchs as
favoured target species after bass, cod and mackerel. Through the Angler Recording Project, the Shark Trust
is engaging the sea-angling sector in the generation of elasmobranch population data.
The Shark Trust is conscious that the Angler Recording Project is not a comprehensive survey, and is instead
an effort-based, citizen science project which could have the potential to collate information with some
degree of species, spatial and/or temporal selectivity on the part of anglers. More succinctly, do
recreational angling records accurately reflect known diversity? Can angling records contribute to an
improved understanding of elasmobranch populations?
Over 2000 elasmobranchs have been recorded by individual sea-anglers, sea-angling clubs and charter
skippers in the region. Although not accounting for deep-sea or occasional vagrant species, angling
records received to-date do accurately reflect known elasmobranch diversity in Southwest waters. As the
dataset continues to grow in terms of volume of records and geographic coverage it will contribute to
an improved understanding of species abundance, distribution and populations trends.

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Celtic Seas Partnership
Natasha Barker Bradshaw
Celtic Seas Partnership Project Adviser, WWF-UK
Phone: 01823 451957
Mobile: 07775 510362
Email: nbarkerbradshaw@wwf.org.uk
Address: Baltic House, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff, Wales CF10 5FH
The Celtic Seas Partnership aims to bring together marine stakeholders, governments and the scientific
community across the Celtic Seas to support implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
The achievement of Good Environmental Status in our seas needs to involve those whose livelihoods and
well-being are dependent on marine resources. Creation of legislation is one thing, but to get the buy-in
and support of all those that will be expected to follow that legislation, is another challenge.
By building understanding of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and building relationships amongst
sea-users, industry, government and scientists in the Celtic Seas, we aim to contribute towards the
identification and development of measures that are accepted and understood as necessary by all
stakeholders.
We believe that this approach will empower stakeholders, improve compliance with regulations and
ultimately bring about the restoration and protection of the Celtic Seas.
This presentation will cover:

Overview of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive & progress with its implementation
How countries are working together across the Celtic Seas marine region
How the Celtic Seas Partnership project is enabling additional engagement from different
communities

The Celtic Seas Partnership team are working with many other initiatives to share lessons learned and apply
best practice between the regional seas of EU maritime waters.
Key references:
Background to MSFD

South West Ecosystems

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/protecting-and-sustainably-using-the-marineenvironment/supporting-pages/implementing-the-marine-strategy-framework-directive
Current position in UK monitoring consultation
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/marine-strategy-framework-directive-measuring-progress-inuk
Defra presentation on MSFD coordination across Europe
http://www.coastms.co.uk/resources/224c6841-6ea9-427f-ae67-e390ad4b2206.pdf
Celtic Seas Partnership
http://celticseaspartnership.eu/

The future is bright, the future is yellow: results of the Banana Pinger trial
Ruth Williams
Marine Conservation Manager, Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Phone: 01872 240777 ext 207
Email: ruth.williams@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
Address: Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ
The use of pingers to reduce the bycatch of dolphins and porpoises became mandatory in England in July
2013 for over-12m fishing vessels using bottom set gill or tangle nets. However, there have been issues
regarding the practicality and cost of pingers available on the market and few have been trialed on
smaller inshore vessels. Following on from previous work by Cornwall Wildlife Trust, this study assessed whether
a new, cheaper, deterrent, the Banana Pinger, would be effective and practical for use on smaller vessels,
which make up a large proportion of the European static net fishing fleet.
Efficacy was measured acoustically using instruments (C-PODs) that detect the presence of cetaceans in
the vicinity of the instrument, as it is known that pingers that reduce bycatch also reduce the number of
porpoise clicks that can be heard at the net. Despite some problems and concerns with the practical use,
the detection rate of porpoises around nets with pingers was reduced by 82%, which indicates a larger
reduction in porpoises at risk of entanglement than has been seen in previous studies of pingers that are
known to be effective at reducing bycatch.
In a parallel experiment, a Banana Pinger was modified to run for alternate 21-hour periods and was
deployed for eight months next to a C-POD. The aim of this experiment was to investigate behavioural
effects of the pinger on porpoise and dolphins, such as long-term displacement, habituation, or attraction
(the 'dinner bell' effect). This cycling pinger study showed a strong effect in reducing porpoise detections
when the Banana Pinger was active. There was no decrease in the effect of the pinger on porpoises over
the eight-month period.
The study gives strong evidence that the Banana Pinger is a practical and effective way of reducing
porpoise bycatch in set nets, and provides the strongest evidence of any study that habituation of
porpoises to pingers is unlikely to be a significant issue.
Some practical concerns over the use of the Banana Pinger in the fishery were raised but have either been
rectified or solutions are being investigated by the manufacturer through liaison with the skippers involved in
this investigation.
The full report can be found at http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/livingseas/dolphin_pinger_trial

Bottlenose dolphin conservation - a critical assessment

Dr Simon Ingram

South West Ecosystems

Lecturer in Marine Conservation, Marine Vertebrate Research Group, Plymouth University

Email: simon.ingram@plmouth.ac.uk
The evidence from recent population genetics and photo-ID studies indicates that coastal bottlenose
dolphin communities around the British Isles represent distinct populations from those in pelagic/offshore
waters. In the light of these findings we must consider coastal dolphins separately within the conservation
management planning for this species. Small mobile populations of these k selected animals are particularly
vulnerable to habitat degradation in coastal habitats and there is evidence of recolonising of recovering
habitats and changes in ranging behaviour in coastal dolphins. The application and efficacy of area-based
conservation management for these populations will be discussed.

What criteria should we use to assess the importance of areas for mobile
marine wildlife in coastal and open sea situations?
Nigel Symes
Marinelife
& Discussion panel
The marine planning process has come to the south-west in the form of the South Plan (MMO) which
includes important sites like offshore Lyme Bay and areas off Portland.
A simple classification of important sites includes:

a) Coastal land breeding sites

Berry Head and the St Ives seal beach are good examples of such
sites in the south-west ( see Helen Bookers SWME paper - 2013)

b) Foraging areas adjacent to breeding sites The near shore areas off coastal breeding sites Are
these protected now to a limit offshore (1Km)?

c) Coastal Foraging sites not associated with breeding

St Ives bay in the winter (Sam Davis, & Russell

Wynn; Gwennap Head, Portland in the winter. The topography of these areas seems to lend itself to
feeding activities by a range of mobile species cetaceans and bird.

d) Offshore foraging areas

The central Lyme Bay area identified by Tom Brereton and probably
others associated with important frontal areas. Russell Wynn & Tom Brereton identified Lyme Bay as
being important for Manx Shearwaters feeding in the early summer

Whilst coastal breeding sites for birds and seals have traditionally been well protected, important areas
further offshore e.g. Lyme Bay and coastal sites (headlands) regularly used by feeding or migrating species
have been less well protected.
This discussion will reflect upon how we can recognise the importance of such areas in the south-west and
what criteria we might apply.

South West Ecosystems

Observations on porpoise ecology and images from the work of Marine

Discovery
Hannah Jones and Duncan Jones
Marine Discovery Penzance and Falmouth Marine School
Mobile: 07749 277110
Email: info@marinediscovery.co.uk
Website: www.marinediscovery.co.uk
Address: 1 Helnoweth Cottages, Gulval, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 3BS
Thoughts on harbour porpoise ecology This talk will provide an up to date analysis of harbour porpoise
distributions off South West Cornwall including consideration of the temporal and spatial factors that
influence them. To start there will be an introduction to harbour porpoises on the Celtic Shelf considering
current population size and how this relates to international numbers there will also be anecdotal comments
on distributions of this population for 2013. This will be followed by discussion on particularly high sightings per
effort off Penzance in 2013 which follows similar findings in 2012. The focal points for these high densities will
be highlighted and comparisons drawn with 2012 and historical data. Consideration will then be given to
what drives these high density aggregations both in the long, medium and short term with thoughts on how
this knowledge might inform future conservation. There will then be an introduction to the Marine Discovery
harbour porpoise photo ID project and it's aims with information on re-captures to date. Summing up will
consider the question - What's the next stage to comprehensively understanding harbour porpoises off the
Cornish coast and Celtic Shelf?
A pictorial overview of wildlife sightings in 2013 This will be a pictorial journey through 2013s wildlife sightings
from the privileged perspective of a wildlife tour guide.

2014 Delegate List

Melanie

Broadhurst

Annabelle

Lowe

Chris
Sarah
Jeroen van
der

Lowe
Young

Natasha

Kooij
Barker
Bradshaw

Jason
Dan
Bob
Paula
Mark
Rebecca
Michelle

Birt
Murphy
Earll
Ferris
Huish
Allen
Gurney

Sam
Dan
Kate

Davis
Jarvis
Hockley

South West Ecosystems

Alderney Wildlife Trust

Atlantic Diving/Newquay Sea Safari and
Fishing
Atlantic Diving/Newquay Sea Safari and
Fishing
Bournemouth University

melanieawt@googlemail.com

Cefas
Celtic Seas Partnership Project
Adviser
Centre for Applied Zoology Cornwall
College Newquay
Chelonia Ltd
CMS
Coastwise North Devon
Cornwall College
Cornwall College
Cornwall College Newquay
Cornwall Inshore Fisheries &
Conservation Authority (CIFCA)
Cornwall Sea Group
Cornwall Seal Group

jeroen.vanderkooij@cefas.co.uk

sharktoursnewquay@gmail.com
sharktoursnewquay@gmail.com
sarahlou172@gmail.com

NBarkerBradshaw@wwf.org.uk
jason.birt@cornwall.ac.uk
dvb.murphy@gmail.com
bob.earll@coastms.co.uk
p.s.ferris@btinternet.com
markhuish@outlook.com
rebecca.allen@cornwall.ac.uk
gurneymichelle@yahoo.co.uk
sdavis@cornwall-ifca.gov.uk
dan@cornwallsealgroup.co.uk
k8hockley@hotmail.com

Sue
Catherine
Mat
Carolyn
Tom
Niki
Abby
Ruth
Diane
Ana
Lauren
Katherine
Libby
Mat
Carlota
Sara
Janet
Claire
Katie
Sophie
Jen
Mathew
Ben
Tom
Rachel
Rebecca
Kimberly
Margaret
Tim
Kathryn
Inge
Jon
Tony
Sue
Jo
Maya
John
Keith
Hannah
Duncan

Sayer
Wilding
Slater
Waddell
Horton
Clear
Crosby
Williams
Solomon
Leocadio
Parkhouse
Gray
Ross
Palmer
Molfse
Marshall
Chapman
Miller
Arnold
Cocks
Dyer
Thurloe
Lowe
Vincent
Collingham
Knee
Ferran
Gardner
Caulfield
Driscoll
Smith
Spink
Suton
Gubbay
Lau
Plas
Meakin
Hiscock
Jones
Jones

Tom
Andrew
David
John
Peter
Beshlie
Deborah
Mark

Brereton
McLeish
Sales
Hepburn
Cosgrove
Pool
Cracknell
Parry

South West Ecosystems

Cornwall Seal Group

Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
CWT Volunteer
Defra
Devon and Severn IFCA
Devon and Severn IFCA
Devon and Severn IFCA
Devon Wildlife Trust
Devon Wildlife Trust
Devon Wildlife Trust
DWT (Wembury Volunteer)
Environment Agency
Environment Agency
Environment Agency
Environment Agency
Exeter Univeristy CEC
Falmouth Marine School
Falmouth Marine School
Falmouth Marine School
Falmouth Marine School
Florida Atlantic University
Fowey VMCA Volnteer
Fowey VMCA Volnteer
Freelance MMO/PAM/ESAS
Gardline Environmental Ltd
Gardline Environmental Ltd
HVMCA
Independent Consultatant
IT Power
Learn to Sea
Looe Marine Conservation Group
Marine Biological Association
Marine Discovery
Marine Discovery
Marine Life
MARINElife
MARINElife / Blue Marine Foundation
Mewstone Enterprises
MMO
MMO
National Marine Aquarium
National Marine Aquarium

sue@cornwallsealgroup.co.uk
catherine.wilding@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
mat.slater@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
carolyn.waddell@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk.
tom.w.horton.13@gmail.com
niki.clear@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
abby.crosby@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
ruth.williams@cornwallwildlife.org.uk
dianesolomon7@yahoo.co.uk
ana.leocadio@defra.gsi.gov.uk
l.parkhouse@devonand severnifca.gov.uk
k.gray@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk
e.ross@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk
mjpalmer@devonwildlifetrust.org
carlota0911@gmail.com
smarshall@devonwildlifetrust.org
jan.vet@yealmpton.eclipse.co.uk
clare.miller@environment-agency.gov.uk
katie.arnold@environment-agency.gov.uk
sophie.cocks@environment-agency.gov.uk
jen.dyer@environment-agency.gov.uk
m.thurlow85@gmail.com
barnacles72@live.co.uk
tomfred@hotmail.co.uk
rachelcollingham@gmail.com
beccaknee@hotmail.com
kferran@fau.edu
margaretgardener@hotmail.com
timcaulfield@hotmail.com
kellendriscoll@yahoo.co.uk
inge.smith@gardline.co.uk
jon.spink@gardline.com
anthony.suton275@btinternet.com
sgubbay@mayhill.wyenet.co.uk
jo.lau@itpower.co.uk
info@mayaplass.com
john.meakin@virgin.net
khis@mba.ac.uk
info@marinediscovery.co.uk
tom.brereton@marine-life.org.uk
andrew.mcleish@marine-life.org.uk
mewstone.enterprises@gmail.com
peter.cosgrove@marinemanagement.org.uk
beshlie.pool@marinemanagement.org.uk
deborah.cracknell@national-aquarium.co.uk
mark.parry@national-aquarium.co.uk

Lavinia
Janet
Hazel
Fiona
Jamie
Jennifer
Joanne
Lizy
Maxine
Madhulika
Wesley
Annie
Rachel
Jenny
Kaja
Rebecca
Stephanie
Staey
Samantha
Robyn
Emma
Sophie
Adam
Martin
Lucy
Clare
David
Jeroen
Tim
Peter
Kylie
Jaqueline
Paul
Theresa
Jon
Kevin
Alice
Anna
Tom
Prof Nick
Jennifer
Abigail
Allen
Gabi
Nigel
Carly
John

Suberg
Lister
Selley
McNie
Davies
Yates
Ziemann
Gardner
Chavner
Goodey
Smyth
Linley
Hargreaves
Wytcherley
Curry
Shellock
Davies
Deamicis
Cox
Samuel
Sheehan
Cousens
Rees
Atrill
Rayner
Marshall
Griffiths
Ingels
Smyth
Miller
Scales
Maud
Somerfield
Redding
Eckert
Linnane
Hicks
Prior
Hooper
Owens
Skinner
McQuattersGollop
Kingston
Gilks
Mortimer
Daniels
Richardson

South West Ecosystems

National Oceanography Centre

National Trust
Natural England
Natural England
Natural England
Natural England
Natural England
Natural England
Natural England
Natural England
Natural England
NERC
Newquay Cornwall College
Plymouth City Council
Plymouth City Council
Plymouth University
Plymouth University
Plymouth University
Plymouth University
Plymouth University
Plymouth University Marine Institute
Plymouth University Marine Institute
Plymouth University Marine Institute
Plymouth University Marine Institute
Plymouth University Student
Plymouth University Student
Plymouth University Student
PML
PML
PML
PML
PML
PML
Royal Haskoning DHV
RPS Energy
RPS Energy
RPS Energy
RPS Energy
RSPB
SAHFOS
SAHFOS
SAHFOS
SMRU/SOI University of St Andrews
SoS + Newquay MG & NBC
South Devon AONB Partnership
The National Lobster Hatchery
The Shark Trust

Lavinia.suberg@noc.soton.ac.uk
janet.lister@nationaltrust.org.uk
Hazel.Selley@naturalengland.org.uk
Fiona.McNie@naturalengland.org.uk
jamie.davies@naturalengland.org.uk
jennifer.yates@naturalengland.org.uk
joanne.ziemann@naturalengland.org.uk
lizy.gardner@naturalengland.org.uk
maxine.chavner@naturalengland.org.uk
madhulika.goodey@naturalengland.org.uk
Wesley.Smyth@naturalengland.org.uk
anli@noc.ac.uk
rach-g-hargreaves@hotmail.co.uk
jenny.wytcherley@plymouth.gov.uk
kaja.curry@plymouth.gov.uk
rebecca.shellock@plymouth.ac.uk
stephdav@btinternet.com
stacey.deamicis@plymouth.ac.uk
samantha.cox@plymouth.ac.uk
robynsam145@hotmail.com
emma.sheehan@plymouth.ac.uk
sophie.cousens@plymouth.ac.uk
adam.rees@plymouth.ac.uk
matrill@plymouth.ac.uk
lucy.rayner@students.plymouth.ac.uk
clmarshall100@gmail.com
dg_01@btinternet.com
jein@pml.ac.uk
tjsm@pml.ac.uk
pim@pml.ac.uk
kysc@pml.ac.uk
jama@pml.ac.uk
pjso@pml.ac.uk
theresa.redding@rhdhv.com
eckertj@rpsgroup.com
kevin.linnane@rpsgroup.com
hicksa@rpsgroup.com
anna.prior@rpsgroup.com
Tom.Hooper@rspb.org.uk
njpo@sahfos.ac.uk
jenski@sahfos.ac.uk
abiqua@sahfos.ac.uk
ark10@st-andrews.ac.uk
ggilkes@edenproject.com
nigel.mortimer@southdevonaonb.org.uk
carly.daniels@nationallobsterhatchery.co.uk
john@sharktrust.org

Cat
Clare
Joe
Joanne
Ceri
Steve
Simon
Teresa
Charlote
Chrissy
Russell
Saul
Amy
Harry
Horatio
Dave
Alan
Miriam

Gordon
Robinson
Robinson
Garret
Lewis
Votier
Ingram
Donohue
Sams
Robertson
Noke
Fetherstone
Muggeridge
Burgis
Morpurgo
Jenkins
Davis
Vesma

South West Ecosystems

The Shark Trust

University of Exeter
University of Exeter
University of Exeter
University of Exeter
University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus
University of Plymouth

cat@sharktrust.org
jclare24@gmail.com
jr39333@gmail.com
jkg205@exeter.ac.uk
c.n.lewis@exeter.ac.uk
s.c.votier@exeter.ac.uk
simon.ingram@plmouth.ac.uk
t.donohue@hotmail.co.uk
Charlote-sams@hotmail.com
chrissyrobertson@me.com
russellnoke@googlemail.com
saul.featherstone@gmail.com
a.l.muggeridge@gmail.com
burgis@hotmail.co.uk
horatio morpurgo@yahoo.com
Jenkins945@btinternet.com
miriam@vesma.com