The Bycatch Evidence Evaluation Project (BEEP) is a new research initiative, conceived by cetacean expert Nick Tregenza, a member of the Marine Strandings Network (MSN) Steering Group. The project is being developed by the MSN to evaluate external evidence of bycatch in stranded small cetaceans.

At present, diagnosing bycatch in cetaceans from observations made on the beach lacks credibility among the scientific community and so bycatch statistics are based solely on animals that undergo a post-mortem examination by a veterinary pathologist.

As a result, a lot of valuable information from animals that are not subject to post-mortem is lost or ignored and the current data do not reflect the true scale of bycatch mortalities.

The objectives of the BEEP project are to establish credibility and acceptance of this method of diagnosing bycatch. The aims of the project are to:

• Develop a protocol for collecting standardised recording of external signs on animals on the beach, regardless of their origin.
• Test the data to establish which signs can be uniformly recorded by a wide range of observers, including many with limited training and experience.
• Test the observed signs statistically and in particular, compare these with post-mortem results (where these are available) to identify which patterns are reliable indicators of bycatch or of other causes of death.
• Publish the finally agreed method in cooperation with veterinary pathologists to establish a firm basis for the future credibility and value of this kind of diagnosis.

A Reference Manual and Recording Form have been produced by the Network to illustrate the data and photographs that will be required for analysis.

The project will exploit the wide availability of digital photography to allow independent checking of the records and assessments made on the beach. We hope to bring together observers and data from several countries to establish the general validity of the method.