University of Plymouth Marine Vertebrate Conservation Unit

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University of Plymouth Marine Vertebrate Conservation Unit

Marine vertebrate conservation research unit based at the University of Plymouth. We work on marine mammals, seabirds and fish.

Part of the South Coast Bottlenose Dolphin Consortium

14/08/2025

⛵🐬 From Porthallow to Penzance - dolphins, tuna & more!

Marine Biology student Zoe walks us through day 2!…

We set off from Porthallow today and had a busy start, spotting multiple pods of common dolphins, some of which came in close to bow ride and check us out!

Midway through the day, we had a surprise visit from a grey seal, plus sightings of leaping tuna and a few harbour porpoises keeping their distance.

The day finished on a high with another pod of common dolphins - this time joined by diving gannets and more tuna leaping through the waves.

A productive and exciting day all round, ending in Penzance with high spirits and even higher hopes for tomorrow!

11/08/2025

Day 4: The way back (and minor chaos), by final year Ocean Science and Marine Conservation student, Brandon.

We started off early (too early) and spent an hour or so around the Scillies looking for seals. Several cute nubbins were around to greet us before we set sail back to the mainland.

Initially our trip back was absent of cetaceans, whilst maintaining the constant barrage of Manx shearwaters. However as we came past Land’s end and with the power of dance and music, dolphins appeared and we saw common and Risso’s dolphins. The day finished off with us anchoring at Coverack, where we became local heroes for saving a dog with a dinghy, 4 paddles and a busted outboard engine. Along with a curry and some music to end the night.

09/08/2025

Day 3: the Scillies (aka Brandon gets his sea legs), by PhD student -

We spent a slow, cozy morning sheltering from the stormy skies with egg sandwiches and a few competitive rounds of Uno ⛈️ A perfect excuse to relax before the winds calmed. Luckily the sun soon returned and we set sail across the stunning Isles of Scilly!

Although the elusive harbour porpoises stayed hidden (as always!), we were kept busy recording plenty of grey seals and seabirds along the way ⛵ The landscape was incredible, with sandy beaches and dramatic skies making for a magical afternoon at sea.

We rounded off the day with a glowing sunset and a sea swim that was made even better by a curious seal who came in for a closer look 🦭

08/08/2025

Day 2 at sea, by final year marine biology student Lydia:

Waking up to a beautiful sunrise on the quiet Church Cove of Lizard. Setting sail nice and early with a coffee in hand, taking advantage of the flowing tide to guide the boat. Still seas allowed for little sailing but the conditions for surveying were perfect. We were greeted by a pod of Risso’s dolphins, tonnes of common dolphins and a variety of sea birds, a constantly flurry of Manx shearwaters. After a day sailing, we anchored up at the Scillies and celebrated our successful journey with a swim, a coastal walk and pub visit (we definitely did not at any time get lost in a potato field).

27/07/2025

Day 5 - a blog by Megan (second year marine biology student)

So that’s a wrap! We’ve put our blood, sweat and tears into this survey (literally) and we had a fantastic time.

We woke up at Falmouth to crystal clear water and not a cloud in the sky, and began sailing back to Plymouth. The flat still water made in easy to see Common and Risso’s dolphins as well as tuna, porpoises and a range of sea birds such as the Great Skua (which was the first sighting on the trip!) 🐬🐟

All in all we’ve all had an amazing time and a big thank you to the team, I highly recommend going on this trip. ✨

26/07/2025

Day 4 - a blog by Erin (second year marine biology student)

Today was absolutely amazing! Waking up in the beautiful Lamorna Bay, we zig- zagged around Mounts’ bay and across the Lizard. The conditions were beautiful, with clear skies and bright sun. Alex provided entertainment on deck whilst removing litter we found in the ocean, but the highlight of the day was seeing a pod of Risso’s dolphins! We feel very lucky as these are not a common sight. Looking forward to tomorrow!

24/07/2025

Day 3 blog by Alex, a final year marine biology student.

Today we travelled the longest distance we have covered in this survey period. Sailing from Coverack out to past lands end near to Wolfs rock. We then turned back around and stopped in Lamorna Cove for the evening.

Weather conditions were some of the best we have had this week. With little to no rain and some occasional wind conditions allowing us to sail smoothly and take full advantage of the hydrophone!!

Today we saw so lots of Common Dolphins 🐬 and porpoises. We were able to witness a group of Dolphins feeding as well as a larger group of 12 who hung around for a little while and checked out our hydrophone getting some awesome echo location clicks recorded! We also got to witness a few groups of Tuna flying out of the water whilst feeding.

23/07/2025

Day 2 of our Marine Mammal Survey - A blog by Sophie Dale

The day started off already better than yesterday, with us departing Fowey around 9am and enjoying a smooth glide across calm water. Cloudy skies stayed with us, but thankfully the weather remained dry as we journeyed further west, passing St Austell Bay, sailing around Dodman Point, and zigzagging our way to our anchoring point for the night: Coverack! ⚓️

Thanks to the ideal spotting conditions, we were treated to a harbour porpoise sighting, a colony of gannets feeding, and the highlight of the day - an incredible visit to the bow by a pod of common dolphins! 🐬

22/07/2025

Day 1 of our marine mammal survey heading west - a blog by Jazz Allen, 2nd year Marine Biology student.

A rainy and choppy start to the 5th survey aboard Take The Helm. The rain and high waves didn’t quite manage to disrupt the survey and we were lucky enough to see a whole load of common dolphins! 🐬🌊

We were able to tuck away in the Fowey Estuary for the night in order to recharge and get ready for a (hopefully) sunny survey day tomorrow! ☀️🚤

Address

University Of Plymouth
Plymouth
PL48AA

Website

https://linktr.ee/marinevertscru

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