Since 2001, the Sea Watch Foundation has been running, with funds from a variety of sources (Natural Resources Wales, EU Interreg, Heritage Lottery Fund, and Postcode Local Trust), research projects in Cardigan Bay aimed at monitoring the bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise and grey seal populations of the region especially in Cardigan Bay and Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

Line-transect distance-sampling surveys have also been conducted in the Celtic Deep and St George’s Channel in previous years with the aim of describing distribution and abundance of common dolphins and baleen whales. Throughout those years, more than sixty MSc and BSc students have participated in our on-going studies collecting data for their thesis, or analysing data already held by Sea Watch Foundation. We have also co-supervised several successful PhD projects.

In addition, other projects can be considered if they fit within Sea Watch Foundation’s current research programme. The students are under the supervision of one or more members of staff, depending on the project selected. We can potentially offer places on the research boat and access to the equipment used for the data collection, as well as space in the two Welsh field offices, with free internet access.

Our databases are available for the students, in exchange for which they are required to help with the data collection and entry during the field season.