Sea Watch

Harbour porpoise and calf

Harbour porpoise and calf at Hurlstone Point- Brian Gibbs

Sea Watch

Take part in the Sea Watch Foundation's monitoring programme as volunteer observers through regular surveys along the coast.

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53 miles of coastline to explore ()
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Home to internationally important birds ()
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2nd highest tidal range in the word ()
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Vital fish nursery ()

Cetaceans are at risk due to continuous threats to them and their habitats, including capture and drowning in fishing gear, sound disturbance, marine pollution and over-fishing. 

Sea Watch Foundation is a national charity working to improve the conservation and protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises.

The Bristol Channel has a resident population of harbour porpoises as well as being visited by various species of dolphin. 

You can take part in a monitoring programme as volunteer observers through regular surveys along the coast organized by the Somerset Wildlife Trust. We also offer training by Sea Watch experts in how to carry out monitoring and surveying of this important group of sea mammals.

Mark Ward, Somerset Wildlife Trust, and Vanessa Lloyd, Seawatch Foundation, explain how you can carry out your own Seawatch survey and identify some of the marine creatures you may spot. 

Mark Ward (Somerset Wildlife Trust), Vanessa Lloyd (Seawatch Foundation), Rob Deaville (Institute of Zoology) and Andrew Baillie (Natural History Museum) explain how we in Somerset can report strandings and what is done with the data.

Get involved

Find out more by clicking the boxes below.

You can also share sightings and learn more about Somerset's marine mammals by joining the Somerset & Exmoor Marine Mammal Sightings Facebook group! 

Reports

We are hoping that the data collected in this year's survey programme will help further inform and add to our knowledge of cetaceans off the Somerset coast. Our past reports can be found below.

Somerset Sea Watching 5-year Report 2014-2018

Somerset and Exmoor Sea Watch Report 2019

Somerset and Exmoor Sea Watch Report 2020

Hurlstone Point Harbour Porpoise Monitoring Project 2023