Abstract
The following conclusions were reached:
The number of dolphins using the SAC continues to show interannual variability but remains stable in the long term. However, the recent reporting period has seen a decline in the number of dolphins and in the proportion of the total population using this area.
In contrast, the number of dolphins and the proportion of the east coast population using Tayside & adjacent waters has increased.
The population of dolphins on the east coast of Scotland is still increasing.
Both the SAC and Tayside & adjacent waters area are used by >50% of the population in most years.
Passive acoustic monitoring continues to show interannual variability in dolphins’ use of the SAC with a peak during summer months. However, one area was used to a similar extent during summer, autumn and winter.
As the long-term trend in the number of dolphins using the SAC remains stable, the use of this protected area continues to be high, and the east coast population is increasing we recommend that the condition status is Favourable (maintained).
The number of dolphins using the SAC continues to show interannual variability but remains stable in the long term. However, the recent reporting period has seen a decline in the number of dolphins and in the proportion of the total population using this area.
In contrast, the number of dolphins and the proportion of the east coast population using Tayside & adjacent waters has increased.
The population of dolphins on the east coast of Scotland is still increasing.
Both the SAC and Tayside & adjacent waters area are used by >50% of the population in most years.
Passive acoustic monitoring continues to show interannual variability in dolphins’ use of the SAC with a peak during summer months. However, one area was used to a similar extent during summer, autumn and winter.
As the long-term trend in the number of dolphins using the SAC remains stable, the use of this protected area continues to be high, and the east coast population is increasing we recommend that the condition status is Favourable (maintained).
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | NatureScot: Scotland's Nature Agency |
| Number of pages | 39 |
| Volume | 1360 |
| Publication status | Published - 26 Apr 2024 |
Bibliographical note
We would like to thank all the colleagues who have helped collect and analyse data during this period. We would especially like to thank the Scottish Marine Mammal Strandings team for providing a summary of their data, and Charlie Phillips and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Wildlife Centre in Spey Bay for their photographic contributions. Grant Ellis ran many of the surveys in Tayside and adjacent waters and processed much of the data collected by SMRU. Also, thank you to NatureScot, Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd., Moray East and Moray West Offshore Wind Farms, Vattenfall, Seagreen, Inch Cape Offshore Ltd, NnG Offshore Wind, Marine Scotland, The Crown Estate, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, BES, ASAB, Greenpeace Environmental Trust, Scottish Government, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Talisman Energy (UK) Ltd., Department of Energy and Climate Change, Chevron, Natural Environment Research Council and the Universities of Aberdeen and St Andrews whose contributions have allowed us to continue these studies on an annual basis. All survey work was conducted under NatureScot Animal Scientific Licences.Keywords
- abundance
- bottlenose dolphin
- mark-recapture
- photo-identification
- Special Area of Conservation
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