Three decades at sea
Since the first ferry survey in June 1995, volunteer surveyors and the MARINElife science team have turned sightings into findings. These are some of the moments that stand out in our publication record.
- 1995
Shared data
A ferry becomes a research platform
The first survey sails from Portsmouth to Bilbao on a P&O ferry. The Biscay Dolphin Research Programme begins one of the longest-running offshore whale and dolphin records anywhere.
- 1997
Protection and policy
Do fast ferries disturb dolphins?
An early assessment of cetacean disturbance by high-speed ferries opens a line of work on human impacts that later covers acoustic disturbance and visual observers.
Browning et al. 1997
- 1999
Discoveries
Biscay’s beaked whales, season by season
Survey data show seasonal patterns in beaked whale occurrence in the southern Bay of Biscay. The same year, we present the case for using fixed-route ships to monitor marine protected areas.
Williams, Brereton and Williams 1999
- 2001
Discoveries
Tracking fin whales cheaply
A low-cost method estimates when fin whales are present in Biscay. We also found the Atlantic Research Coalition, linking ferry surveys across organisations.
Brereton, Williams and Williams 2001
- 2002
Discoveries
Pygmy killer whales in the Bay of Biscay
The first sighting of pygmy killer whales in the European Atlantic is reported, along with an association with calves.
Williams, Williams and Brereton 2002, J. Marine Biological Association UK
- 2004
Discoveries
A rare beaked whale, and a seabird baseline
Three sightings of Mesoplodon beaked whales raise the possibility of the first confirmed True’s beaked whales in the north-east Atlantic. Preliminary results from 1995 to 2001 show what a low-cost, year-round seabird programme can deliver.
Weir et al. 2004; Brereton et al. 2004
- 2009
Climate and change
Dolphins and porpoises on the move
Common dolphins, striped dolphins and harbour porpoises are shown to be changing in occurrence across the English Channel and Bay of Biscay.
MacLeod, Brereton and Martin 2009
- 2009
Protection and policy
Evidence for JNCC and Natural England
We assess how ferry-survey data can monitor cetaceans for JNCC, and report on Balearic shearwater and white-beaked dolphin in Lyme Bay for Natural England.
- 2010
Protection and policy
The Farne Deeps matter for white-beaked dolphins
A report commissioned by Natural England sets out the importance of waters off Northumberland for white-beaked dolphins and other species of conservation concern.
- 2011–14
Climate and change
Where will whales and dolphins go as seas warm?
Two modelling studies project cetacean range shifts under climate change and discuss what they mean for conservation strategies.
Lambert et al. 2011 and 2014
- 2013
Discoveries
A white-beaked dolphin hotspot in Lyme Bay
Surveys reveal Lyme Bay as a recently discovered hotspot, and northern surveys assess the status of the species off north-east England.
Brereton, Lewis and MacLeod 2013; Kitching et al. 2013
- 2014
Protection and policy
Key habitats in the busiest seaway on Earth
A multi-organisation study identifies key habitats for marine megafauna in the English Channel. Integrated land and boat surveys inform the conservation of the Critically Endangered Balearic shearwater.
McClellan et al. 2014; Jones et al. 2014
- 2015
Climate and change
Climate and food shape seabird and tuna numbers
Decadal abundance of highly migratory predators in the Bay of Biscay is linked to climate and prey availability.
Louzao et al. 2015
- 2016–18
Protection and policy
Who are the south-west’s bottlenose dolphins?
Photo-identification shows the population structure and movements of bottlenose dolphins off south-west England. Our work supported a Natural England Management Unit for the species.
Brereton et al. 2016 (Natural England RP01679) and 2018
- 2019
Climate and change
When storms kill seabirds
Bird mortality is found to respond in thresholds to extreme wind events.
Louzao et al. 2019, Ecological Indicators
- 2020
Shared data
One map for the north-east Atlantic
Our data contribute to distribution maps of cetaceans and seabirds across the north-east Atlantic. The data are archived openly (2021), so other researchers can reuse them. The same year, a Natural England report analyses white-beaked dolphin data from Northumberland.
Waggitt et al. 2020, J. Applied Ecology
- 2021
Climate and change
Bluefin tuna return to UK waters
Evidence of increased Atlantic bluefin tuna in UK and Irish territorial waters. In the same year, a study of the drivers of decadal patterns in a top predator draws on our data.
Horton et al. 2021, ICES J. Marine Science; Astarloa et al. 2021
- 2021
Discoveries
Balearic shearwaters keep coming back
At-sea surveys reveal consistent concentrations of this Critically Endangered seabird in UK waters.
Phillips et al. 2021, Ecology and Evolution
- 2024
Protection and policy
Citizen science shows where dolphins are vulnerable
Sightings data from volunteers are used to assess the vulnerability of bottlenose dolphins to human impacts along England’s south coast.
Corr et al. 2024, Animal Conservation
Summaries are drawn from publication titles and MARINElife programme records. Where a paper has many authors, MARINElife data or staff contributed to the work alongside other research groups.