Final Contract Report 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2017

Between 1st January 2011 and 31st December 2017, the UK Cetacean Strandings. Investigation Programme (CSIP) received reports of 4896 cetaceans, 97 marine turtles and. 21 basking sharks.

The largest number of cetacean reports was received in England (n=2363), with smaller numbers in Scotland (n=1616), Wales (n=774), Northern Ireland (n=76), the Isle of Man (n=42) and the Channel Islands (n=25). The most commonly reported UK stranded cetacean species during the period of this report were the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena, n=2686) and the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis, n=860). The total number of cetacean strandings reported to the CSIP during 2011-2017 increased by approximately 15%, relative to the preceding seven-year period (n=4268, 2004-2010). This was largely driven by a recent increase in reported strandings of harbour porpoises in most regions of the UK (primarily on the northwest coast of England and in Scotland) and by a recent increase in reported strandings of short-beaked common dolphins in southwest UK. The potential driver/s of these increases are unclear. Click here to read the report