The NECP is a programme of small boat surveys led by Dr Martin Kitching, which aims to generate up-to-date information on the status of White-beaked Dolphin, other cetaceans off the Northumberland coastline, including Bottlenose Dolphin, Harbour porpoise and Minke Whale. The project has extended into Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Suffolk, and expanded to include the whole North Sea and its coastal areas, through a public sightings scheme. Seabird surveys for Natural England have also been made in selected years.
Established in 2009, the NECP, has mapped and reported on the distribution and abundance of White-beaked Dolphin and other cetaceans off the North east coast chiefly in collaboration with Natural England. White-beaked Dolphin and Bottlenose Dolphin photo-ID catalogues have been developed and the data has been used to inform designations of local marine protected areas. Public sightings are collated and there is popular citizen science Facebook page with nearly 14,000 followers.
Natural England has funded several analyses of the data, as White-beaked Dolphin has decreased as an inshore visitor during the summer months, being largely replaced by Bottlenose Dolphins which have colonised and become resident from Scottish waters.
Species focus
Bottlenose Dolphin
White-beaked Dolphin
Minke Whale
Related publications
| Determining the Status of White-beaked Dolphin off Northern England through the Northeast Cetacean Project | https://www.ascobans.org/sites/default/files/document/AC20_4.1.c_ECSWorkshop_White-beakedDolphin.pdf |
| Temporal and spatial analysis of Marinelife and Orca white-beaked dolphin data from Northumberland and adjacent sea areas | https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/5219997460987904 |
| Photo-identification Analysis of White-beaked Dolphins off South West and North East England 2007-2014 | https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5149990171705344 |
| North East England Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncates Catalogue | https://marine-life.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/BND-cat.pdf |
| North East England White-beaked Dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris Catalogue | https://marine-life.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/WBD-cat.pdf |
Catalogues
We can now make our dolphin photo-ID catalogues for North East England publicly available.
The MARINElife/North East Cetacean Project photo-ID catalogues for North East England feature 74 individual Bottlenose Dolphins, recorded between 2012-2024, and 193 individual White-beaked Dolphins, recorded between 2010-2023. Each individual animal has a catalogue reference (NL_BND_### or NL_WBD_###, respectively), some have given names, left and right-side images are shown where available, and for each animal the years in which it has been recorded are indicated. The majority of the Bottlenose Dolphins recorded have previously been catalogued by Aberdeen University/St Andrew’s University so their ‘north of the border’ catalogue numbers are also included (AULFS #). The White-beaked Dolphin catalogue is completely novel, with no animals known to be in other catalogues.
Both catalogues have been created with the help and support of many citizen scientists, who we are eternally grateful to. There’s an opportunity to contribute to our ongoing photo-ID research out to the midpoint of the North Sea between the Scottish Border and the river Humber. If you have photographs of either species, or any other whale, dolphin or porpoise, taken in that area please contact the NECP Project Coordinator, Martin Kitching martin@northeastcetaceanproject.org.uk for advice on how your images can help to advance the discussions around marine conservation in North East England.
Bottlenose Dolphins
White-Beaked Dolphins
