Aixa, a Spanish marine biologist and ASI participant on the last survey leg has written about her time with the SOTW team…
To be part of a project like the ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative, it’s a privilege. Being able to join a research vessel like the Song of the Whale, it’s a dream. I have spent the last two weeks on board joining the MCR team and it has been an amazing experience.
My journey started in Barcelona, and after a short talk about safety on board by our skipper Niall, we started the leg between Barcelona and Monaco, studying the waters of the northwest Mediterranean Sea. Shortly after leaving the port, we found bottlenose dolphins, close to a fishing trawler. Interactions between coastal dolphins and fishermen are very common along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. As soon as we head offshore the team deployed the hydrophone and very soon we started to hear the clicks of sperm whales. I worked as volunteer with Spanish organizations such as CIRCE and ANSE, but for me it’s the first time that I use passive acoustics and I couldn’t imagine the amount of animals that we have detected using only the hydrophone. I discovered how important this tool is, and in a project like the ASI project, it’s essential. Most of the sperm whales were only detected by the acoustics, so thanks to that we know that the Spanish and French offshore waters are an important place for sperm whales to hunt.
After the sperm whales we found areas with lots of fin whales. I remember specially one day that we spent all the day counting fin whales, from the morning till night.
The first thing you learn when you do this work is that you have to spend many hours looking to the sea searching for the animals, and the usual is that they don’t appear. But that day I was surprised we had a lot of luck and our efforts searching were rewarded. We have a lot of animals living in Mediterranean waters. I hope all of this data that we have collected will serve in the near future to help protect these animals. This is the main aim of the ASI project, and I am very happy to have been part on it.
Although it has been really exciting to see the animals, what I liked the most about being able to participate in the project is that I was able to work within an experienced team in a research vessel that is so well prepared for this kind of work. The team works 24 hours, 7 days a week and everyone takes part in all the responsibilities on board. Even at night, we have to be on watch to sail the boat and continue running the passive acoustic sysytems. Sailing under the stars is an unforgettable experience. And sometimes few striped dolphins joined us.
I will miss the MCR team and my other colleagues the volunteer team. Thanks for this amazing two weeks and the funny moments, even in the middle of a storm! I have lost all sense of time on board with so many experiences. I wish you good sailing and hope you continue with this great work. I look forward to knowing the results of the project and how is it going to affect the Mediterranean fauna. Following this project, I am sure that from now on the conservation status is going to improve. Thanks to ACCOBAMS and all the project funders for making it possible.
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