Dolphins, seals and sharks bring team together again

Photo: Gary Hawkins

With their usual enthusiasm, volunteers from all over Cornwall gathered in Truro for their fourth Marine Strandings Forum, organised by Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Marine Strandings Network. The annual event was hosted by Truro College, some of whose students are also volunteers for the Network. The team of over 100 trained volunteers records all marine animals, including dolphins, seals, sharks and turtles that wash up on the beaches of Cornwall. Their information is shared with national bodies such as the Institute of Zoology and Natural History Museum in London, as well as similar Strandings Networks in Europe. Their most recent recordings include a 9m long minke whale and a 510kg thresher shark.

Joana Doyle, Marine Conservation Officer for the Trust said, "We were really pleased to have some more excellent speakers again this year, as well as guests from the Institute of Zoology and the Marine Biological Association."

Dr David Sims from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) presented their most recent research on basking sharks and detailed the vital research being conducted on samples from dead basking sharks taken by Marine Strandings Network volunteers. Dr Sims commented that such samples are rare, so the contribution being made by the Trust volunteers is extremely helpful in understanding the biology of these fascinating fish.

James Barnett of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) talked through the procedure of conducting post-mortem examinations on dolphins and porpoises, which the volunteers found fascinating - fortunately, as this was after lunch. Mr Barnett explained that, from the animals the volunteers help to retrieve for examination, it is possible to determine their age from studying their teeth, the levels of pollutants they carry in their bodies, what they eat and what diseases they suffer from. This research would not be possible without the work of the strandings volunteers.

The final speaker, Gus Caslake from Seafish, spoke to the Network about the results of trials conducted on "pingers", acoustic deterrent devices that can be fitted to nets to deter porpoises from being accidentally bycaught. The UK is legally obliged to ensure that all vessels over 15m in length fit pingers onto their nets. However, the enforcement of this EU Regulation has so far been hampered by unsuccessful trials of the pingers in the fisheries. It is hoped that, for the benefit of fishermen and porpoises alike, more research will be conducted and that the legislation will be implemented as soon as possible. "Its fantastic being part of such a great cause and feeling like you can put something back", said one of the volunteers. "It can be very depressing at times, particularly when you get called out to record several strandings at once, but the knowledge that I can help to collect really important information from these dead animals keeps me going. It's great coming to this Forum each year to find out what use the data we have all collected has been put to and to meet other like-minded people."

"This year has been relatively quiet for the Marine Strandings Network so far, with fewer dolphins, whales and porpoises stranding than in recent years", said Jan Loveridge, one of the coordinators of the Network. "We think this may have been down to bad weather at key times. Nevertheless, since January 2007 the volunteers have recorded 72 cetaceans, 45 seals, 23 birds, two turtles and one basking shark. In comparison, 175 cetaceans were recorded last year alone. But we're not yet into the busiest time of year for stranded and bycaught cetaceans in particular and that picture may well change. So we'd be really grateful if the public keep up the good work in reporting anything they find to our Strandings Hotline."