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Earlier this week, Montengero Dolphin Research’s community outreach team headed into a local school to introduce biology students to our work and the positive impacts that they can have on marine conservation! Research Intern Phoebe Thorpe wrote this report on the team’s day in Meksiko School, Bar.  A small group of our team visited Meksiko Primary School to talk about the work we do here at DMAD, introducing the children to MDR and our research efforts. We discussed different types of sea life and the various species of cetaceans which live in the South Adriatic. The students were interested to hear that they have all this amazing sea life on their doorstep and learned about the different characteristics different species have! We went on to explain the threats dolphins and other sea life face on a day to day basis. We explained how fishermen’s activities can be a lethal threat to dolphins due to using dynamite and that dolphins are regular victims of by-catch.  For the second half of the presentation, our Research Intern Francesca discussed what plastic is and where we find it in our daily lives. The students were very engaged and got involved in the discussion. The school teacher also pointed out to the students the main industries who use materials which harm the planet. The students learnt how plastic is a big threat to all living things in the ocean. Francesca explained to them the things the students could do in their daily lives to reduce their plastic consumption, particularly in regards to single use plastic. The students were enthusiastic about the idea of reusable bags and bottles and they agreed that items such as plastic straws and spoons are unnecessary.  Intern Phoebe testing students’ knowledge on marine mammals We tested what the students had learnt with a short quiz. They found this fun because it gave them a chance to shout out answers after being patient and listening for half an hour.  To finish we gave them our social media handles so that they are able to follow what we do. Some students asked if they could come and volunteer with us now, which was great to see their enthusiasm, but we explained that our volunteers do need to be over 18. For now, though, we explained that they can definitely come and help us with beach cleans and other activities, and told them the details for our beach clean on Saturday and they seemed very interested in joining us for that! Intern Francesca introducing the students to MDR’s community beach clean MDR will be hosting a beach clean at Kraljevska Plaža on Saturday 9th November, kicking off at 10am. Any members of the public and local community are more than welcome to join us and the students of Meksiko School in our efforts to protect the beautiful beaches of Bar!  For event details check out Montenegro Dolphin Research’s Facebook page!

The First Result of the ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative The First Result of the ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative (ASI) were presented today at the ASI Special Event held in Istanbul in Turkey proceeding the ACCOBAMS 7th Meeting of the Parties which runs from tomorrow to Friday. The ASI aims to “establish an integrated, collaborative and coordinated monitoring system” to assess the status of the cetacean population at the whole ACCOBAMS area level. Aerial surveys were conducted for more than 75% of the region with many of the gaps filled using boat surveys. The ASI Special Event saw talks from member of CNRS Lebanon, Representatives of Egypt and Syria, Mare Nostrum, TUDAV, UNEP/MAP/SPA-RAC, Pelagis Observatory, IMMRAC and of course from Simone Panigada, the ASI Project Coordinator and Florence Descroix-Commanducci, ACCOBAMS Executive Secretary.The talks not only presented the results of the study (available at: https://www.accobams.org/asi-data-presentation/) but also talked about the setbacks encountered in several countries and how they were overcome as well as the use of other methods such as acoustic surveys and the future use of drones.

On 23rd October, the DMAD team took to the road early in the morning (04:45, to be exact!) to travel across the border from Montenegro to Albania,. to further research the dolphin abundance along the coast of the Southern Adriatic.  The 5 researchers arrived in time for a sunrise survey at a site in the town of Shengjin. As always, the survey tasks were shared amogst the whole team, with each researcher taking it in turns to use a theodolite, fill in the data sheet and operate the pythagoras software on the field computer. This particular survey site looked on to a wide expanse of water, meaning that the team needed to stay alert when observing the surface. No dolphins were spotted on this first survey, but positions and movements of boats were logged and will contribute to our data set on marine traffic.  After  a short lunch break the team carried on to the next survey station, a 2 hour drive away through the rural areas of northern Albania. We aim to conduct our surveys around sunrise and sunset, leaving a break in the  middle of the day to relax on the beach, catch up on sleep or have a quick swim.  Arriving at the Cape of Rodon, the team set up again and almost immediately spotted a fin in the distance! The team followed the movements of a pod of 3 bottlenose dolphins for around 20 minutes, recording their swim styles, group style and their behavioural events which included breeching. The most common behavioural state was travelling, and they traveled parallel to the coastline until the team lost sight of their fins.  Once the sun had set, the team continued on to Durrës to check in to the accommodation. The apartment overlooked the beach and restaurants, and although it was dark everyone was looking forward to what promised to be a great view the next morning. With high spirits following the afternoon’s dolphin encounter, the victorious researchers had dinner at a nearby restaurant and reflected on a great first day in Albania!  The next morning the team was back on the road bright and early ready to set up at the next survey site in Durrës. Already well accustomed to their role and synchronised as a team, everyone set to work scanning the area for dolphins and logging boat traffic, aided and abetted by some trivia from team supervisor, Tim (did you know that hippos sweat in red when they’re upset?)!  As many field biologists know, patience is a virtue when committing to repetitive surveying. It’s important to keep enthusiasm and morale high amongst the whole team, and in Albania it was fantastic to be in the great company of the other volunteers. Over the course of two surveys at Durrës, only marine vessel traffic was recorded. Although it can be disheartening not to see dolphins, this data is still important and valuable when pursuing long-term research that aims to positively affect marine conservation and advance the protection of marine mammals in Albanian waters.  The frustration of plastic pollution catching attention and causing false hope when surveying the ocean is a reminder of the environmental issues the planet is facing. It is also the evidence that everybody must live as sustainably as possible and continue to spread this message to others. The survey sites that the team worked with in Albania are all stunning however sadly marred by litter and plastic pollution that ends up there.  On day 3 the team once again had an early start, this time hitting the road to go back to Cape of Rodon. In the absence of dolphins the team kept themselves entertained mapping boats in the area and playing a few marine biology related games. (A favourite question amongst the DMAD team – If you were a marine mammal, which one would you be and why?) After the final survey of the trip back at Shengjin everyone enjoyed a sunset drive back across the border into Montenegro, accompanied by some Montenegrin music and the prospect of arriving back home to our adopted dog and honorary DMAD mascot, Kewa! 

In this series research assistant S. Capitain introduces the topic of wildlife conservation and outlines the steps neccessary for conservation efforts to move from observation to action. As the Marine Mammal Research Association, DMAD’s focus lies on the fate of marine wildlife both in the present and in the future. Because of this, one of our primary task is to study the changes of population abundance; report events such as strandings; and  monitor the health of the marine environment. Unfortunately, with developed countries and societies striving for exponential growth in economy and territory, motivation to protect marine mammals at a governmental level is low, and the outlook for the future of these animals is bleak. Because of this, it is important to always keep the secondary element of our work at the forefront of our mind, the one all our research work is targeted on: the conservation of species and the marine environment.  Wildlife conservation is defined as the practice of protecting wild species and their habitat in order to prevent them from going extinct. Current populations and habitats need to be preserved so species can prevail against further human impact.  Conservation work comes in many different forms and sizes. It can range from small scale conservation efforts, such as increasing structural complexity in local parks as a refuge for urban-avoiding birds and mammals, all the way up to international institutions such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and inter-country agreements.  Such efforts cannot be based on the actions of dedicated NGOs alone. Conservation is a process that needs to be carried out by several groups of people and relies on wide-spread engagement. Its stages can be loosely defined as follows:  Research Planning Implementation Management While each element works towards the common goal of successful species conservation, each stage strives to build the basis for the next. Tasks vary throughout the process, with groups reappearing at different stages to take the lead or supplement each other. The actual procedure, however, depends heavily on the subject and situation at hand, leaving room for diverse approaches and unique solutions. In order to provide you with a basic understanding of conservation work and examples of success stories, we will take you along on a journey from observation to action. Based on successful conservation efforts from around the world, we will illustrate the intrinsic components of each stage, followed by an insight of DMAD’s involvement in each step.  Join us in this conservation series on an educational trip from observation to action, through more positive reports and towards a hopeful future in the fight of preserving marine mammals and their environment.  References:1) The national human education society (2019). Wildlife conservation. Online access: https://www.nhes.org/wildlife-conservation/ (last access 28.09.2019)2) Hodgkison, S., Hero, J.-M., & Warnken, J. (2007). The efficacy of small-scale conservation efforts, as assessed on Australian golf courses. Biological Conservation, 135(4), 576-586

A low-cost satellite system may hold the answers for real-time monitoring of fishing vessels using synthetic-aperture radar (SAR). Illegal fishing has always been difficult to monitor and the prospect of monitoring all the world’s fishing vessels in realtime has always seemed impossible yet we are one step closer thanks to the use of  “minibar-sized satellites” which are equipped with synthetic-aperture radar (SAR). In theory all ships over 300 gross tons are required to use Automatic Identification Systems or AIS to show there whereabouts. The problem is that it is possible to turn these systems off which is often done to avoid being detected during illicit fishing activities. These ships are known as ‘dark ships’. In December, Capella will be launching a constellation of 36 of these satellites, which are a 20th of the weight of there predecessors and therefore easier and cheaper to launch. Whilst the radar from these satellites doesn’t provide the same clear picture that optical satellites produce, it can detect boats against the sea and when compared with AIS data can show illegal fishing. In an important bonus of these satellites is that they work in any weather including at night and whilst clouds are present which prevents optical satellites from taking images. Up until now the major drawback has been that there haven’t been enough of these sorts of satellites in orbit to function properly and because they are power-intensive and large they generally only operate where it is light. This meant that they only imaged a small-portion of the earth per day. As it takes time for these satellites to get into position, orders have to be made up to 72 hours in advance. Capella believe that they will be able to reduce this process to order on-demand images online through an API (a software intermediary that allows two devices to talk to each other). Each of Capella’s satellites will begin to take images as soon as they are launched and the whole system will be operational by 2022. At this point Capella believe that the satellites will be able to take one new image of a target per hour at the equator and even more at the poles. Capella are not the only organisation doing this either and ICEYE have announced plans to build an 18 satellite constellation by 2020. The challenge now is being able to overlap this technology with currently existing technologies such as AIS and Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) to be able to provide a full picture and really tackle illegal fishing but this is certainly an interesting step in the right direction.

With a strong passion for marine conservation and a background in shark research, I wanted to broaden my knowledge on other marine species, which from October of 2019 included dolphins! As a scuba diver, I feel it is my responsibility to contribute towards protecting our oceans and marine life. I try to live a sustainable lifestyle and encourage my friends and family to do so too. I was intrigued by the Montenegro Dolphin Research project as they were the first to document the annual sightings of cetaceans in this region. They also work within pubic outreach, aiming to encourage the local community to care more about their coastline and species which inhabit it. I’ve only just started and have already learnt so much, including how to consolidate dolphin sightings using a density heat map on GIS, how to use a theodolite during land surveys, how to categorise dolphin behaviours and how these behaviours may be affected by marine vessel activities. I can’t wait to develop more transferable skills for a future career as a researcher within marine ecology.

Littered beaches, plastic bags flowing in the water and fear of microplastic in the fish we consume are the results of our single plastic use policy. We might be the ones who created the problem, but we are not the only ones suffering from it. More than 500,000 tons of plastic enter the Mediterranean Sea every year, accompanied by the 1.25 million microplastic fragments concentrated in each square kilometre. Plastic attracts aquatic toxins, which are being consumed by fish when it mixes with the plankton. Through the food chain, those toxins accumulate, leading to lower reproduction and survival rates. Not just fish but also marine mammals like dolphins and whales are known to mistake the litter for food, damaging their digestive system, ending deadly for 100,000 mammals around the globe during the last year. Others get entangled in packaging or abandoned nets, which often leads to fatal injuries or the inability to scavenge for food. “We used the opportunity to conduct surveys on the local dolphin and porpoise population, collecting photo ID and behavioural data” The WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative has taken the task upon themselves to fight for a stop of further plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. Besides pushing for legal action and laws, they work with the coastal population to rethink and act. As part of the latter, their sailing boat Blue Panda set sail to a six-month journey around the Mediterranean Sea, educating and mobilizing people on the way. On their recent stop in Istanbul in the last week of September, DMAD under WWF-TURKEY, jumped on board to support them in their quest. In several trips through the Istanbul Strait, we took supporters, persons of public interest and the general public along for a ride. We strived to educate on the environmental threat plastic holds, to illustrate the dangerous effects it has on the marine wildlife – mammals in particular – and to discuss possible solutions in day to day life. At the same time we used the opportunity to conduct surveys on the local dolphin and porpoise population, collecting photo ID and behavioural data. The results of such data efforts can be used to monitor changes in the population size in the future. Thereby possible underlying causes might be exposed and counteractive actions could be initiated in time.To determine the situation and understand the need for action scientific research is essential.However, public awareness and mobilisation are what carries the necessary changes.  Therefore it is critically important to build the bridge between scientific data acquisition and the education and mobilisation of the broader public, letting both sides join forces in the fight to #stopplasticpollution, conserve a healthy marine environment and protect our marine mammals. Blue Panda sets an important example in that regard and we hope to keep doing so alongside them.

We are delighted to announce that we will be part of a book that will be presented by, “The Dolphin’s Voice”, a NGO based in Germany ( https://tdv.ngo/ ). The Dolphin’s voice have the goal to provide education and awareness to the public about cetaceans and the dangers they are facing in today’s oceans. The book will be presented at the festival, “Veggie Vitalis”, a festival showcasing vegan food but also environmental NGOs. A translation of the text can be found below: Beside our scientific research we also concentrate on conservation, especially ecological initiatives and public awareness about the marine mammals and their habitat. Our scientific work is carried out by volunteers, interns and students from all over the world. Montenegro Dolphin Research (MDR) is a long-term project of DMAD (Marine Mammal Research Association), focused on the research of dolphins in Montenegrin waters.The goal is the collection of frequency, abundance and behaviour of the marine mammals. Resulting data will hopefully help to define critical habitats and to understand the repercussions of the biggest threats.Beside our scientific research we also concentrate on conservation, especially ecological initiatives and public awareness about the marine mammals and their habitat. Our scientific work is carried out by volunteers, interns and students from all over the world.Equipped with our boats, instruments and special softwares we assess the area through datacollection on land and boat (meaning on land and boat surveys). We analyse, identify and archive the collected data statistically and use it for further scientific research and conservation strategies.The map on the left shows that the main residency areas of the dolphins are also the ones with the highest density of marine traffic. DMAD – Marine Mammals Research Associationis a non-profit and non-governmental organisation with the goal to create ecological awareness forthe sea and its inhabitants through their activity in research and science.It is our goal to raise awareness in both, the public and scientific field, to identify the habitat problems correlating with the preservation of marine biodiversity in the Levantine and Adriatic Sea.We support the preservation of marine mammals and their habitats through the integration of academic studies, public engagements and campaigns for social sensitisation.

Meet our volunteers: Svenja Capitan Hey, everyone. My name is Svenja, 21, and I am a German biology student in the second year.Nature, its intrinsic mechanisms and interactions is something that has been absolutely fascinating tome since I can remember. Thus, this field of study came as a natural choice.Since I am at the point in my studies now, where a decision about my future focus needs to be made, I hope to get an authentic insight into the work of marine ecologists and conservation work with MDR. Especially getting experience with various softwares, survey technology and the research going into preparations and conservation.It is a pleasure to work with such a diverse group of people, while all sharing the same goal to understand and preserve the beauty of marine mammal life. My main goal is to support them in this effort as much as I possibly can while getting an understanding of the work itself, to act as a basis for the decisions ahead.

18 participants joined the course, of which nine were from Turkey DMAD has successfully completed our first hosting of the ACCOBAMS HQ MMO/PAM operator course in Turkey between the 22nd and 27th of July 2019. Whilst the first four days were dedicated to the theoretical information described in ACCOBAMS protocol, the next two days were designed to cover the practical aspect of it and was conducted in a beautiful sailing boat, sailing through the waters between Marmaris and Fethiye. Additionally, we had two interesting topics on GIS mapping of sightings and stranding first aid information. Overall, 18 participants joined the course, of which nine were from Turkey (in order to increase the local capacity) and each of the participants successfully passed the evaluation test and was awarded with the ACCOBAMS MMO/PAM Operator certificate. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge ACCOBAMS for giving us this chance to improve local capacities, Patrick Lyne for leading the entire course and explaining each topic with a passion for marine conservation, Jonathan Gordon for providing us with the PAM kits for the course and finally to all of our participants for supporting our conservation actions and to sharing their knowledge with us. All the certificated participants are listed below; Amber BeermanAylin Akkaya BasCansu IlkilincCemil Timuçin DinçerDinis GeraldesEmine UlusoyEnorha GuimardErsin BasGiorgia FarneJoao Nuno GoncalvesLiam von WalsumMerve KurtNilüfer Araç GünkarRaquel Soley CalvetTaylan Tolga KökenTim AwberyTürkmen Belen YildirimZeynep Gülenç