The Peltic survey is led by the Government’s Fisheries research Institute (CEFAS) and is a flagship multidisciplinary survey of the Western Channel and Celtic Sea waters which runs for several weeks each autumn and is focussed on providing evidence for sustainable fisheries management and marine conservation. There are also surveys of plankton communities, jellyfish and environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, oxygen levels, etc.). MARINElife has been surveying seabirds and cetaceans as part of the survey annually since 2013.
The surveys have detected large numbers of Common Dolphins across the western English Channel, increasing numbers of Bluefin Tuna in UK waters off south west England, with associated Great and Cory’s Shearwaters and a decline in skuas. Furthermore, the wasters sampled waters have been confirmed as a globally important post-breeding moulting and feeding area for Balearic Shearwaters.
Species focus
Bluefin Tuna
Common Dolphin
Cory’s Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Gannet
Manx Shearwater
Great Skua
Guillemot
Razorbill
Related publications
| Consistent concentrations of critically endangered Balearic shearwaters in UK waters revealed by at-sea surveys. | https://europepmc.org/article/MED/33613988 |
| Evidence of increased occurrence of Atlantic bluefin tuna in territorial waters of the United Kingdom and Ireland | https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/78/5/1672/6231587 |