Contributing to cetacean science just got easier!

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We are excited to announce that a new version of the Sea Watcher App is now available! As part of this update, we have refreshed our Privacy Policy. To continue submitting your sightings and protecting our oceans, please update the app and confirm your agreement with the new terms.

Recording and reporting cetaceans while you are out on a walk, on a headland or enjoying a boat trip is a fun as well as very worthwhile activity, but what is the best and most efficient way to do so! This is where our new app comes in! Sea Watch has launched a new updated version of our recording app, entitled “Sea Watcher”. This is freely available to everyone, with both an android version (download HERE) and one for Apple iOS users (download HERE). It can be run off smartphones or tablets and allows you to record dolphins and whales, all without the need for any other equipment, except maybe a pair of binoculars. Watch our video on how to use the Sea Watcher App here:

What’s New?

We’ve worked hard to make the app a more versatile and enjoyable tool for monitoring cetaceans and other marine megafauna:

  • Expanded Coverage: More species and broader geographical tracking.
  • New Map Viewer: Direct links to our Web-based Map Viewer to see global data.
  • Flexible Submissions: Choose recording either basic or detailed information for both casual sightings and surveys.
  • Data Visibility: All your previously submitted sightings and surveys remain accessible on your device (so long as you use the same email address).

The app allows for opportunistic sightings as well as dedicated surveys and is equipped to deal with both land and boat-based recording.

All sightings can be viewed on a map and there are a number of handy resources which will help identify what you’ve seen. In addition, there is a code of conduct for boat users, advice on photography, and details of what to do and who to contact if you find a stranded animal, either live or dead. It’s a great little pocket resource and an amazing opportunity to contribute to one of the longest running cetacean sightings networks in the world!

We want to say a special thank you to SEACAMS within Bangor University Ocean Sciences and NOVA Innovation for the initial build of the app. Thank you to Tranquil Tech for this latest upgrade, particularly Ahmed Ali and Khurram Islam Khan.

So next time you’re out and about, why not try it out! Learn more about UK cetaceans and support conservation!

We have made a huge amount of effort to ensure that the app functions well, but given the huge variety of mobile devices publicly available it is possible that some minor bugs might occur on some phones or tablets. We aim to continually update and develop the app to make it the best that it can be, so if you have any issues or suggestions, we would love to hear from you. The best way to contact us with issues or suggestions would be to drop an email to info@seawatchfoundation.org.uk or click the “contact us” button below. Please specify your device’s make and model in the email to help us resolve the issue quicker.

Contact us

Quick Fixes

If the update doesn’t go smoothly, try these quick fixes in sequence based on your device, which typically solve most issues:

  1. For Beta Testers: Ensure you have “Left the beta programme” in the Play Store.
  2. Clear Data: Go to Settings > Apps > Sea Watcher > Storage and select Clear Data/Cache. Then, uninstall and reinstall.
  3. Register/Login: Ensure you are registered by submitting data or going to Manage Observers (via App Settings (three lines, top left) > Manage Observers). Use the same email address as before, set as “Default User”.
  4. Sync History: If old data are missing, go to Settings > Historical Data, select a date range, and tap Load Data. You may need to select smaller date ranges and do this in batches.
  5. Refresh: Simply “pull down” on the submissions page to refresh your view.
  1. For Beta Testers: Leave the beta programme in the Test Flight app.
  2. Reinstall: Uninstall your current Sea Watcher version and download the latest version from the App Store.
  3. Register/Login: Ensure you are registered by submitting data or going to Manage Observers (via App Settings (three lines, top left) > Manage Observers). Use the same email address as before, set as “Default User”.
  4. Sync History: If old data are missing, go to Settings > Historical Data, select a date range, and tap Load Data. You may need to select smaller date ranges and do this in batches.
  5. Refresh: Simple “pull down” on the submissions page to refresh your view.

Help us test! Please do test the new features so changes can be made now. Feel free to submit “dummy” data before March 18th. Please include the word “TEST”, “DUMMY” or “DELETE” in the comments so we can filter these out of our scientific analysis.

FAQ’s

If you selected “Yes” in the “Do you have photographs of the sighting” you can upload the media in the app under your sighting submissions. In sighting submissions, if you click on the sighting and scroll down to the bottom of the page you should see an “Send media now”, which will open the option to load 3 images and/or one video and a send via email button.”

Mae cyfrannu at wyddoniaeth morfilod a dolffiniaid mwy hawdd nac erioed!

Ewch i’r cwestiynau cy4redin a trwsiadau cyflym

Rydym yn hapus i gyhoeddi bod fersiwn newydd o’r Ap Sea Watcher ar gael nawr! Fel rhan o’r diweddariad yma rydym wedi adnewyddu ein Polisi Preifatrwydd. I barhau cofnodi eich weldiadau a diogelu ein cefnforoedd, diweddarwch yr ap a chadarnhewch eich cytundeb â’r telerau newydd.

Mae cofnodi gweld mamaliaid morol tra rydych allan am dro ar bentir neu’n mwynhau taith cwch yn hwyl a gwerth chweil. Ond beth yw’r 4ordd gorau a mwyaf e4eithiol i wneud hyn? Dyma ble mae ein hap newydd yn dod i mewn. Mae Sea Watch wedi lansio fersiwn wedi’i diweddaru o ein hap cofnodion o’r enw “Sea Watcher”. Mae’r ap hollol am ddim i bawb gyda fersiynau Android (lawr lwythwch YMA) ac Apple iOS (lawr lwythwch YMA). Gallwch redeg yr ap ar 4ônau clyfar neu dabledi ac yn galluogi chi i gofnodi dolffiniaid a morfilod, i gyd heb angen unrhyw offer ychwanegol, heblaw am bâr o ysbienddrychau efallai. Gwyliwch ein fideo ar sut i ddefnyddio’r Ap Sea Watcher yma:

Beth sy’n newydd?

Rydym wedi gweithio’n called i wneud yr ap yn offeryn mwy amlbwrpas a pleserus er mwyn fonitro mamaliaid morol ac anifeiliaid mawr morol eraill:

  • Cwmpas Ehangach: Mwy o rywogaethau a thracio daearyddol
  • Gwyliwr Map Newydd: Dolenni uniongyrchol i’n Gwyliwr Map ar y we i weld data byd-eang.
  • Cofnodion Hyblyg: Dewiswch gofnodi gwybodaeth sylfaenol neu fanylach ar gyfer gweldiadau achlysurol neu
  • Gwelededd Data: Bydd eich holl weldiadau blaenorol yn parhau i gael mynediad atynt ar eich dyfais (os ydych yn defnyddio’r un cyfeiriad e-bost).

Mae’r ap yn caniatáu cofnodi weldiadau achlysurol ac arolygon penodol. Hefyd, mae’r ap wedi cyfarparu ar gyfer cofnodion o’r tir neu gychod.

Gallwch weld holl weldiadau ar fap ac mae yna nifer o adnoddau defnyddiol fydd yn helpu gydag adnabod beth rydych wedi’i weld. Ar ben hynny, mae yna god ymddygiad ar gyfer defnyddwyr cychod, cyngor ar ffotograffiaeth, a manylion am beth i’w wneud a phwy i gysylltu gydag os ydych yn dod o hyd i anifail wedi traethellu, un ai byw neu wedi marw. Mae’n adnodd anhygoel maint poced a chyfle gwych i gyfrannu i yn o’r rhwydweithiau gweldiadau mamaliaid morol hynaf yn y byd!

Rydym eisiau dweud diolch enfawr i SEACAMS o fewn Gwyddorau Eigion Prifysgol Bangor a NOVA Innovation ar gyfer adeilad cychwynnol yr ap. Diolch i Tranquil Tech ar gyfer yr uwchraddiad diweddaraf, yn enwedig Ahmed Ali a Khurram Islam Khan.

Felly, tro nesaf rydych allan o gwmpas yr arfordir, pam ddim rhoi cynnig i’r ap! Dysgwch mwy am famaliaid morol y DU a chefnogwch gadwraeth!

Rydym wedi gwneud ymdrech enfawr i sicrhau bod yr ap yn gweithio’n dda. Er hynny, oherwydd y gwahaniaeth mawr rhwng dyfeisiadau symudol ar gael i’r cyhoedd mae’n bosib bod yna ambell ‘bug’ bach yn digwydd ar rhai ffônau a thabledi. Anelwn i ddiweddaru a gwellau’r ap o hyd er mwyn gwneud yr ap y gorau mae’n gallu bod, os rydych yn cael unrhyw broblemau neu efo awgrymiadau, byddem wrth ein bodd clywed ganddoch chi. Y ffordd gorau i gysylltu â ni ydi trwy e-bost i info@seawatchfoundation.org.uk neu i bwyso ar y botwm, “Cysylltwch â Ni” isod. Os gwelwch yn dda nodwch frand a model eich dyfais yn yr e-bost i helpu ni datrys y broblem yn gyflymach.

Cysylltwch â Ni