12 May 2026
Photo by Igor Francetic Three ScotWind offshore wind developers have joined forces with Crown Estate Scotland and NatureScot to fund a two-year acoustic study of minke whale activity in a marine protected area that lies directly in the path of planned grid connection infrastructure off the Aberdeenshire coast. The study, led by the Scottish […]
28 Apr 2026
Photo by TJ Fitzsimmons A major new peer-reviewed study has found that oil and gas exploration activities in Greek waters are causing serious harm to some of the Mediterranean’s most endangered marine species, and that the environmental assessments used to approve those activities were conducted on the basis of flawed, incomplete and outdated science. […]
26 Jan 2026
Photo by Igor Francetic More than 100,000 whales, dolphins, porpoises and other marine species were reported in Scottish seas during 2025, making it a record year for marine megafauna sightings according to the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust. Common dolphins, once considered rare summer visitors, made up more than 35 per cent of all […]
05 Dec 2023
Toxic chemicals in UK whales and dolphins are exceeding safe limits. The compounds, once used in pesticides, flame retardants and coolants, are having significant impacts on the health and reproduction of the animals. Despite many being banned almost 20 years ago, levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) remain high in the oceans. In fact, these […]
06 Nov 2023
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee has published the UK Government’s response to its report, Protecting Marine Mammals in the UK and Abroad. The report, published in June, recommended stronger measures to tackle the problem of bycatch by introducing mandatory bycatch monitoring and called on DEFRA to publish an action plan to achieve […]
07 Feb 2023
A whale found stranded on a Welsh beach more than a decade ago has been identified as the first of its kind ever found in British waters. Short-finned pilot whales are usually found in tropical to warm temperate seas and not in northern Europe. The whale stranded at Hazelbeach near Neyland, Pembrokeshire, on 1 March, […]
25 Apr 2022
Marine scientists are delving into the secret world of an elusive species of dolphin by examining their unique sounds for the first time. Unlike the better-known common and bottlenose dolphins, the Atlantic white sided dolphin prefers the deep ocean to coastal waters and is rarely seen by humans. The species is so poorly understood in […]
21 Dec 2021
Peter Evans in The Conversation ‘Our oceans are under pressure like never before, with over 60% struggling from the increasing impact of fishing, coastal activities and climate change. The harsh truth is that as we move towards 2022 only 3% of oceans are totally free from the pressure of human activity. The greatest impact appears to be […]
