Thursday 14 January 2016

Getting on the map!


Its all very well going out doing surveys on the Celtic Wildcat and Cartlett Lady and its great fun but its pointless if we don't get the data mobilised. Since 2004 we have been doing our Constant Effort Targeted Species surveys. 




The targeted Species are Common Dolphins. The reason for this was twofold Firstly we had discovered that there were an awful lot of them out there on a couple of Birdwatching boat trips and secondly because it was estimated around 7,000 per year were being caught as bycatch in the huge nets of Pair Trawlers. 

It seemed important to us to monitor them in our waters so we began searching for them taking random routes making the best course depending on wind and tide. 


This week with the help of Anita and Stijn we have finally managed to get most of them entered onto GIS maps thanks to Dr Rob Davies who allowed them to use his facilities at Habitat Info, Rookwood Studios...