Voluntariado: Gales!

Sea Watch Foundation - Volunteering Opportunity in New Quay for 2008

Volunteers are invited to assist the Sea Watch Foundation (www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk) with the running of the “Cardigan Bay Monitoring Project”. The project is based in New Quay, West Wales, and takes care of the conservation management of the bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise and grey seal populations of Cardigan Bay, monitoring their abundance, distribution, reproductive success and population structure using a combination of line-transect, photo-identification, land-based and acoustic surveys.

The volunteers will help the Cardigan Bay Monitoring Officer (Giovanna Pesante) and the Sightings Officer/Monitoring Officer assistant (Edita Magileviciute) with land- and boat-based surveys and photo-identification studies, database entry, awareness raising and education initiatives, acoustic monitoring, and will assist with and participate in training courses and public talks.

Volunteers are required from April until October 2008, for 4 separate periods of 6 weeks each. Preference will be given to those who can stay for more than one period, including the whole 6-months field season. Volunteers will be based in New Quay, West Wales.

Accommodation is provided at a rate of around £45/week. Volunteers are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and living expenses, but it is generally quite easy to obtain part-time paid work in the area if required.

Volunteering periods:

Period 1 28/04 – 8/06, Period 2 9/06 – 20/07, Period 3 21/07 – 31/08, Period 4 1/09 – 12/10

Important skills/qualifications:

· A background in marine biology/environmental science etc is desirable
· A strong interest and knowledge of British cetaceans would be an advantage
· Prior experience in boat based survey work would be useful
· An ability to get on well with others in a small team
· Good verbal and written communication skills, public speaking and IT skills
· Experience in interacting with the public
· An ability to work in a conscientious and reliable manner
· Willingness to work long hours outdoors in often very changeable Welsh weather

All volunteers will be trained in cetacean observation and identification, in line-transect survey protocols and photo-identification of bottlenose dolphins and grey seals.

To apply:

Please send to Giovanna Pesante (giovanna.pesante@seawatchfoundation.org.uk) your cv, covering letter and contact details of two references, reporting any relevant experience you have and specifying the period(s) you would prefer to volunteer for.

Deadlines: 15th of March for the first 2 periods, 15th of April for the las 2.

Please specify NEW QUAY VOLUNTEER APPLICATION into your subject title.

The Sea Watch Foundation

The Sea Watch Foundation is a registered marine environmental research charity that aims to achieve better conservation of whales and dolphins in the seas around Britain and Ireland, by involving the public in scientific monitoring of populations and the threats they face. At Sea Watch Wales, we are dedicated to raising awareness, knowledge and conservation of the marine wildlife of West Wales. Our work is funded by the Countryside Council for Wales, recent grants have come also from Defra, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and the Heritage Lottery Fund, and we work closely with the local management authority, Ceredigion County Council.

Research

The purpose of our research here is to monitor the marine mammal populations inhabiting Cardigan Bay, so as to gain information to aid the conservation and long-term well being of these animals and the local marine environment. This is achieved by conducting various projects including:

* Estimating the abundance and distribution of bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises and grey seals within Cardigan Bay using distance sampling and opportunistic boat surveys
* Maintaining and updating a catalogue of photographically identified bottlenose dolphins in Wales in order to study their abundance, social structure, movements and life histories.
* Acoustic monitoring of bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises in the Cardigan Bay SAC using automated click detectors (T-PODs) and hydrophones.
*Setting up a library of underwater sounds in Welsh waters in order to develop bio-acoustic research in the area.

We further aim to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of the local marine wildlife and the habitats supporting them, to encourage respect and conservation of the area and its wildlife for future generations. We also run training courses for the public in cetacean identification and survey methods.

Giovanna Pesante

Cardigan Bay Monitoring Officer
Sea Watch Foundation Wales
Paragon House, Wellington Place
New Quay, Ceredigion SA45 9NR
West Wales, UK

phone: +44 (0)1545561227
mobile: +44 (0)7810014344
giovanna.pesante@seawatchfoundation.org.uk