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Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust

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The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (also known as HWDT) is a marine conservation charity in the Hebrides, Scotland that is dedicated to research and education of whales, dolphins, and porpoises (Cetaceans) in Hebridean waters. It is based in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull although it works across the whole of the West Coast of Scotland.[1][2]

Office of the trust

History

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HWDT was founded in 1994 off the back of the UK's first whale watching operator, with the goal of further understanding the rich diversity of whales and dolphins in Scottish waters.[3][4][2]

Work

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HWDT works 'directly with local communities to ensure whales, dolphins and porpoises are protected and valued throughout Scotland's west coast.'[5] Much of their data is collected through citizen science from members of the public as well as local boat tour operators and fishermen.[3] Data they have collected has contributed to creating Marine Protected Areas (MPA) for Minke Whales, Risso's Dolphins, and Basking Sharks, and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for Harbour Porpoise in Scottish waters.[6][7][8][9]

Whale Track

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In 2017, HWDT launched a free app called Whale Track allowing a community of both locals and tourists to the Hebrides to report their sightings to the Trust. Designed to function without phone signal or WiFi, the app allows the Trust to collect data daily from sightings around the Hebrides. The data is also visible to other users allowing the community to know what species are being seen in their local area and encouraging them to report. Data from this has contributed to creating MPAs in the Hebrides as well as increasing the knowledge about what species visit Scottish waters.[10][11][12][13][14]

Silurian

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In 2002, the Trust bought a Research Vessel named Silurian to help them survey and collect data about the Hebridean Seas. The 60 ft ketch had previously been used in the Azores to film the first series of BBC's Blue Planet.[15][16] Silurian has collected data for the trust every year since 2002, staffed by paying volunteers and crew. In this time, she has sailed over 100,000 km, recorded 15 species as well as collecting over a year's worth of underwater acoustic recordings via hydrophone.[17][18][19][20][21]

Silurian also operates as a floating classroom taking on schoolchildren to teach them about marine research and the marine life in Scottish waters.[22]

The Trust also use Silurian to monitor the impact of military activities on the local marine mammals during the bi-annual Joint Warrior military exercise that take place in North West Scotland.[23][17]

Hebridean Whale Centre

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In 1997, a discovery centre was opened in Tobermory, in order to increase the public engagement of the charity and educate both locals and tourists about Scottish cetaceans[3]

It currently operates as an interactive visitor centre on Tobermory's Main Street, running education and engagement sessions to teach the public about the wealth of marine life found is Scottish seas[24]

Hebridean Whale Trail

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Established in 2019, the Hebridean Whale Trail is a series of whale-watching and whale heritage sites across Hebridean Islands and the West Coast of Scotland designed to encourage accessible and sustainable whale watching from land.[25][26][27][28][12][29] The trail also aims to boost local economies and educate visitors about the history and heritage of the Hebrides, particularly Scotland's role in industrial whaling.[30] It includes over 30 sites including: St. Kilda; Tiumpan Head (Isle of Lewis); Kilt Rock (Isle of Skye); Kinloch (Isle of Rùm); Ardnamurchan Lighthouse; Glengorm Castle (Isle of Mull); and The Oa (Islay). The site of Huisinish, on the Isle of Harris, is close to the Bunavoneader Whaling Station which closed in 1953.[31][32]

References

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  1. ^ "Massive walrus spotted in the Inner Hebrides". BBC News. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  2. ^ a b Parsons, E. C. M.; Rose, Naomi A. (2010-02-01). "Whale Watching and the International Whaling Commission: A Report of the 2008 Whale-Watching Subcommittee Meeting". Tourism in Marine Environments. 6 (1): 51–57. doi:10.3727/154427309x12602327200343. ISSN 1544-273X.
  3. ^ a b c "What We Do". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  4. ^ "Dopey Dick, killer whale that swam into Derry in 1977, still alive and well". The Guardian. Press Association. 2016-04-01. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  5. ^ "Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust | Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  6. ^ "Protected areas for whales, dolphins and sharks designated in Scottish waters". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  7. ^ "Safeguarding Scotland's marine environment". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  8. ^ "HWDT welcomes UK porpoise protection". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. 2016-09-26. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  9. ^ Woods-Ballard, A.J.; Parsons, E.C.M.; Hughes, A.J.; Velander, K.A.; Ladle, R.J.; Warburton, C.A. (June 2003). "The Sustainability of Whale-watching in Scotland". Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 11 (1): 40–55. doi:10.1080/09669580308667192. ISSN 0966-9582. S2CID 154580882.
  10. ^ "Innovative app to transform cetacean citizen science in the Hebrides". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust (Press release). 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  11. ^ "Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust". Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  12. ^ a b "Rookie tour skipper tops table for whale sightings on new Hebridean Trail". HeraldScotland. 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  13. ^ "Innovative app set to transform cetacean citizen science in the Hebrides". Sea Watch Foundation. 2017-08-10. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  14. ^ "The whales which have visited Scotland every summer for 20 years". BBC News. 2021-08-06. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  15. ^ "Our love took us to another planet; The couple who helped make the amazing Blue Planet recall how the ocean brought them together. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  16. ^ "Silurian: from smuggling to science". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  17. ^ a b "Sail with Us". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  18. ^ The Newsroom (23 July 2019). "Mystery killer whale pod could be part of previously unknown Scottish population". The Scotsman. Retrieved 14 July 2023. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ "Our spectacular Hebridean marine wildlife". TheEcologist.org. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  20. ^ "Green marine environment fund distributes £3.2m". NatureScot. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  21. ^ Wilson, Ben; Benjamins, Steven; Elliott, Jim; Gordon, Jonathan; Macauley, Jamie; Calderan, Susannah (2014-11-05). "Estimates of collision risk of harbour porpoises and marine renewable energy devices at sites of high tidal-stream energy". University of the Highlands and Islands.
  22. ^ "Education". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  23. ^ "Whales shooed out of Scottish loch before NATO exercise". Times of Malta. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  24. ^ "HWDT Discovery Centre". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  25. ^ "Why a Trail?". Hebridean Whale Trail. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  26. ^ "*PRESS RELEASE* Unique Trail to Promote Scotland as Top Whale-Watching Destination". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. 2018-05-18. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  27. ^ "*PRESS RELEASE* New Hebridean Whale Trail launches on Scotland's spectacular west coast". Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  28. ^ Campsie, Alison (28 June 2019). "Hebridean Whale Trail: Best places to see whales and dolphins in Scotland revealed". The Scotsman. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  29. ^ Delahaye, Julie (2019-07-15). "New UK whale and dolphin trail unveils best places to see marine life from land". mirror. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  30. ^ "The Hebrides". Hebridean Whale Trail. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  31. ^ "Bunavoneader Whaling Station - Isle Of Harris". Outer Hebrides. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  32. ^ Ltd, Reefnet (2023-07-14). "North Harris Trust". www.north-harris.org. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
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