* Sea Watch Foundation - Volunteer Research Assistant Opportunities in New Quay for 2007 season * Research Assistant A long-term Volunteer Research Assistant is required with the running of the bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise monitoring project, based in New Quay, West Wales. The Research Assistant will help the Cardigan Bay Monitoring Officer with land- and boat-based marine mammal surveys and photo-identification studies, database entry, and data analysis. The successful candidate will also help supervise and train volunteers and assist with training courses. The Research Assistant is required for six months from mid April until mid October 2007, and will be based in New Quay, West Wales. Accommodation is provided at a rate of £45/week. The Research Assistant is responsible for his or hers own travel, accommodation and living expenses, but it is generally quite easy to obtain part-time paid work in the area if required. Important skills/qualifications: • A background in marine biology/environmental science etc is essential • A strong interest and knowledge of British cetaceans would be an advantage • Prior experience in boat based survey work is preferred • An ability to manage and work with other volunteers in a small team • Good verbal and written communication skills, public speaking and IT skills • Experience in interacting with the public • An ability to work in a conscientious and reliable manner • Willingness to work long hours outdoors in often very changeable Welsh weather The Research Assistant will be fully trained in cetacean observation and identification, in line-transect survey protocols and photo-identification of bottlenose dolphins and seals. For more information on our research and the volunteer programme, please visit our website *www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk*<http://mail.google.com/mail/www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk> . * To Apply: Please reply to Giovanna Pesante by 26th January 2007, with your CV and a covering letter detailing your interest in the project and any relevant experience you have. Important: please put NEW QUAY RESEARCH ASSISTANT APPLICATION into your subject title. Email: giovanna.pesante@seawatchfoundation.org.uk Snail mail: Giovanna Pesante, Sea Watch Foundation Wales, Paragon House, Wellington Place, New Quay, Ceredigion, SA45 9NR. Tel: 01545 561227 * ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * The Sea Watch Foundation * The Sea Watch Foundation is a registered marine environmental research charity that aims to achieve better conservation of whales and dolphins in the seas around Britain and Ireland, by involving the public in scientific monitoring of populations and the threats they face. At Sea Watch Wales, we are dedicated to raising awareness, knowledge and conservation of the marine wildlife of West Wales. Our work is funded by the Countryside Council for Wales, with support from Defra and the Heritage Lottery Fund, and we work closely with the local management authority, Ceredigion County Council. Research The purpose of our research is to monitor the marine mammal populations inhabiting Cardigan Bay, so as to gain information to aid the conservation and long-term well being of these animals and the local marine environment. This is achieved by conducting various projects including: • Estimating the abundance and distribution of bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises and grey seals within the Cardigan Bay SAC using distance sampling and opportunistic boat surveys • Maintaining and updating a catalogue of photographically identified bottlenose dolphins in West Wales in order to study their abundance, social structure, movements and life histories. • Acoustic monitoring of bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises in the Cardigan Bay SAC using automated click detectors (TPODs) • Setting up a library of underwater sounds in Welsh waters in order to develop bio-acoustic research in the area. We further aim to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of the local marine wildlife and the habitats supporting them, to encourage respect and conservation of the area and its wildlife for future generations. We also run training courses for the public in cetacean identification and survey methods. * Some recent conference presentations and publications from Sea Watch staff, students and volunteers: * Anderwald, P., Evans, P.G.H., and Hoelzel, A.R. (2006) Inter-annual differences in minke whale foraging behaviour around the Small Isles, West Scotland. Page 147. In: Abstracts, 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Gdynia, Poland, 2-7 April 2006. Ansmann, I., Goold, J.C., Evans, P.G.H., Simmonds, M., and Keith, S.G. (2006) Variation in the whistle characteristics of short-beaked common dolphins, Delphinus delphis, at two locations around the British Isles. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 86, 5496, 1-8. Baines, M.E., Reichelt, M., Anderwald, P., and Evans, P.G.H. (2006) Monitoring a changing world – searching the past for long-term trends in the occurrence of cetaceans around the UK. Page 220. In: Abstracts, 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Gdynia, Poland, 2-7 April 2006. Evans, P.G.H. (2006) Marine mammals in the European coastal zone: past, present and future. Page i. In: Abstracts, 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society Gdynia, Poland, 2-7 April 2006. Felce, T.H., Stone, E..B., Whiteford, J., James, E., Castrillon, J., and Evans, P.G.H. (2006) To what extent can distance sampling be combined with photo-identification as a monitoring tool for Tursiops truncatus Page 224. In: Abstracts, 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Gdynia, Poland, 2-7 April 2006 Liret, C., Baines, M.E., Evans, P.G.H., Hammond, P.S., and Wilson, B. (2006) Tursiops. Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins: Conservation and Management Oceanopolis, Brest, France. 62pp. Nuuttila, H., James, E., Anderwald, P., Baines, M., and Evans, P.G.H. (2006) Changes in the summer distribution of cetaceans in the UK from data collected during simultaneous national whale and dolphin watches 2002-05. Pages 211-212. In: Abstracts, 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Gdynia, Poland, 2-7 April 2006 Reyes-Zamudio, M.M., Simon, M., Evans, P.G.H., and Goold, J. (2006) T-POD detection an d acoustic behaviour of bottlenose dolphins in Cardigan Bay SAC: A comparison between T-POD recordings and visual observations. Pages 29-30. In: Abstracts, 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Gdynia, Poland, 2-7 April 2006 Simon, M., Reyes, M., Baines, M., Nuuttila, H., and Evans, P.G.H. (2006) Temporal and spatial habitat partitioning between harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins. Page 20. In: Abstracts, 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Gdynia, Poland, 2-7April 2006 Lamb, J. and Ugarte, F. (2005) Relationships between presence of bottlenose dolphins, environmental variables and boat traffic; visual and acoustic surveys in new Quay Bay, Wales. Poster for ECS Conference, La Rochelle, France, April 2005. Lott, R., Evans, P.G.H., Perez, S., Stone, E., Hartley, S. and Ugarte, F (2005) Social structure and long term Residency of Bottlenose Dolphins in Cardigan Bay. Presentation for ECS Conference, La Rochelle, France, April 2005. Perez, S., Lott, R., Stone, E., Luque, P. Hartley, S., Evans, P.G.H., Baines, M., Reichelt, M., Baxter, J. and Ugarte, F. (2005) Long-term site fidelity of bottlenose dolphins in Cardigan Bay, Wales. Poster for ECS Conference, La Rochelle, France, April 2005. Ugarte, F., Felce, T., Perez, S., Stone, E., Hartley, S. and Evans, P.G.H. (2005) Abundance of marine mammals in the Cardigan Bay SAC estimated with distance sampling and photo identification surveys from a small boat. Presentation for ECS Conference, La Rochelle, France, April 2005. * Recent MSc theses published or in preparation in conjunction with Sea Watch Foundation: * • Sharon Bond, University of Wales, Bangor: The use of T-PODs to identify echolocation behaviour in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in New Quay Bay, Wales. (2006) • Natalie Bush, University of Wales, Bangor: Spatial use by common dolphins in relation to habitat features in the Celtic Sea. (2006) • Edita Magileviciute, University of Wales, Bangor: Bottlenose dolphins' social networks in Cardigan Bay, Wales. (2006) • Eleanor Stone, Univeristy of Wales, Bangor: A fine –scale study investigating the temporal and spatial use of New Quay bay, Wales, by bottlenose dolphins. (2006) • Lucy Alford, University of Wales, Bangor: Bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise presence and foraging patterns in relation to tidal cycle, height of tide, lunar activity and strength of current. (2006) • Ina Ansmann, University of Wales, Bangor: Acoustic behaviour and whistle characteristics of common dolphins, (Delphinus delphis), in the Celtic Sea. (2005) • Evonne Amblin, University of Plymouth: Environmental factors affecting the distribution of short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) of the Celtic Deep. (2005) • Juliana Castrillon, University of Javeriana, Colombia: Estimating the population size and long-term residence of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Cardigan Bay SAC. (2006) • Ronan Hickey, University of Wales, Bangor: Comparative study of bottlenose dolphin whistles in the southern Cardigan Bay SAC and in the Shannon Estuary. (2005) • Kate Lewis, University of Wales, Bangor: Habitat use, behaviour and site fidelity of grey seals along the Ceredigion Heritage Coast. (2005) • Neal Reay, University of Wales, Bangor: Estimating the g(0) in linear surveys of harbour porpoise, bottlenose dolphins and grey seals. (2005) • Mercedes Reyes-Zamudio, University of Wales, Bangor: Acoustic behaviour of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): a comparison between T-POD and visual surveys. (2005)