Page 49 - Yachter Spring/Summer 2021

are in the water with you. I later became a “WISE” accredited skipper. If readers are interested in taking the course themselves it may be possible to arrange an in-house course at RSYC.
Once sighted there is a lot of action on board with information being called out
as to species, ages/size of individuals, size
of the group and the type of activity the group is involved in.As this is shouted out, one individual is making detailed notes using a unique shorthand coding system. Others take photos for later identification of individuals.The data is later analysed and stored in an ever-growing database, which is used to determine if populations are increasing or declining. Individuals can be recognised by unique fin attributes which is matched against another database, that is similar to a facial recognition system.This keeps track of who was where and when
- a cetacean equivalent of contact tracing. This data is also vitally important as regards increase and decline of specific cetaceans,
and how far and wide they range, or if they move due to loss of suitable habitat such as physical and noise pollution and destruction of their food sources.
The supervisor/trainer of the students was amazing.An ability to spot dolphins from extreme distances, that some could not spot through binoculars; on many occasions calling “dolphins” but no one else could see them until they came closer to us for an inspection, or we carefully closed towards them. She had an ability to recognise individuals just by a glance at a fin.
Surveys of the Montenegrin Dolphin population led to a one whale and
dolphin survey on a one-month trip
from Montenegro to Turkey. It also led
to my ever-increasing experiences and understanding of diverse marine biosystems. As a layman for sure, but wonderfully interesting.
The words of Captain Paul Watson are very true, and we owe it to ourselves to protect the marine environment as much as we possibly can which is, at the very least, our playground as sailors.
Richard George
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