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Reports of marine wildlife from all around the British Isles, with pollution incidents and conservation initiatives as they affect the fauna and flora of the NE Atlantic Ocean.

LATEST WILDLIFE NEWS:   AUTUMN 2003

30 December 2003
Approximately 500 - 750 Common Dolphins, Delphinus delphis, were seen in Falmouth Bay, Cornwall, between 11.30 am & 12.00 pm, heading towards the Lizard. The dolphins were seen made from the Orca-Seafaris boat by Keith Leeves, Suzi Gilpin, Caroline Curtis, Gary Hawkins, Dan, Phil & Dave Jarvis & others.
Report by Dave Jarvis on the Cornish Wildlife Mailing List


28 December 2003
A rorqual whale of over 30 tonnes is washed up dead on the sandy shore of the bay of Audierne, between Tronoën and the Torch, near Plomeur near Quimper, southern Brittany, France. Samples have been taken by Oceanopolis, Brest (Public Aquarium) who identified the species as a Fin Whale, Balaenoptera physalis, that had recently died and measured  19.5 metres in length. 
Full Report

Report by Nicolas Jouault
on the Marine Mammals of the English Channel Smart Group


19 December 2003
A "superpod" of thousands of dolphins was spread over about two and a half miles off Nare Head, on the Roseland Peninsula, Cornwall. The species involved is the Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis, of all age groups including calves and mothers. Other small cetacean species were possibly present. These superpods are a rare once in a lifetime event around the British coast, but very large pods have been seen off the Cornish coast in recent years, the previous one occurring at the beginning of the year. The superpod was accompanied by sea birds including Gannets feeding on Mackerel, and Guillemots.

First News Report by Franck Dupraz et Océane Grège via UK Cetnet
"Western Morning News" Report
Large Pods of Dolphins off Cornwall in January 2003 (1)
Large Pods of Dolphins off Cornwall in January 2003 (2)
BMLSS Cetacea

18 December 2003
Two Humpback Whales, Megaptera novaengliae, were seen near The Hague (Den Haag), Zuid-Holland. They were discovered by the local department of the lifeboat association who prevented the whales from swimming towards the coast. At dusk they lost the animals near ´s-Gravenzande, some 10 kilometres south of The Hague. The animals were estimated to be 8 and 18 metres long. They were not seen by any of the local sea-migration watchers; the Humpbacks were identified by the pictures made by one of the members of the lifeboat. The identification was confirmed by Kees Camphuysen.
This is the first record of living Humpbacks for the Netherlands. 
Full Report on UK Cetnet
Photograph

Report by Vincent van der Spek via UK Cetnet
Two large whales swam along the Dutch coast near Scheveningen. They were identified as Humpback Whales, Megaptera novaengliae, from the photographs.
Report (in Dutch) with links to Photographs
Report by Jan Wouter via UK Cetnet
Tragically, on 20 December 2003, a pair of Humpback Whales, Megaptera novaengliae, a male and a young whale, were caught in a fishing net and died. 
Report by Jamie Duffie via UK Cetnet
 Carcass Photographs
Barnacles on Whales (notes)
Barnacles (notes)
BMLSS Cetacea
BMLSS Barnacles

5 December 2003
A medium-sized Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus thynnus, was landed at Plymouth Fish Market. It was caught about 24 nautical miles east of Lizard Point, SW Cornwall in a mid-water pair trawl. Adult Bluefin Tuna are no longer caught regularly caught off England and the last one on record was caught in 1968. 

Report from Doug Herdson (National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth)
 on the Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Ocean Group
Full Report
BMLSS Tunnies

4 December 2003
Walkers along the coast at Bovisand in Devon were treated to a rare sight as a five metre long whale was temporarily stranded close to the shore in Heybrook Bay (next to Wembury Bay, east of Plymouth). It has been identified as a Northern Bottle-nosed Whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus, after originally being identified as a Pilot Whale. The malnourished whale was spotted by a walker, Steve Blackhouse, who quickly rang the Coastguard. Bottlenose Whales are rarely seen in the English Channel, normally preferring in waters up to 1,000 metres deep, off the continental shelf.
"Western Morning News" Report
Marine Mammals of the UK Smart Group
British Marine Life Rescue Report
BMLSS Cetacea

31 November 2003
A Cornish long-line fishermen has caught a total 115 Porbeagle Sharks, Lamna nasus, on two long-line fishery trips to their feeding grounds off Cornwall. The largest one weighed 60 kg (132 lb), but is unclear if this was the weight before on after it was gutted. It was two metres long, probably including the tail fin. These look like a pre breeding stock of Porbeagles with females that do not attain maturity until they are two metres in length. This mass capture has raised the ire of environmentalists as the large species of sharks and even some of smaller species like the Angel Shark, Squatina squatina, are vulnerable to excessive fishing. In the 1960s the Newfoundland fishery for Porbeagle was seriously overfished as ceased as a commercial activity. Hundreds of Porbeagle Sharks are caught off northern France each year. 
BBC News Report
BMLSS Sharks

23 November 2003
A pod of five Risso’s Dolphins, Grampus griseus, including two large adults, one with a distinctive notch in its dorsal fin, were spotted from dry land off Stumble Head, Pembrokeshire. 

Report by Lyndon Lomax and Welsh Cetacean Group coordinator Jamie Davis
(Sea Trust S&W Wales) via UK Cetnet
Full Report on UKCetnet
BMLSS Cetacea

19 November 2003
The serpullid worm Ficopomatus enigmaticus has been discovered in Brooklands Boating Lake, east Worthing, Sussex, for the first time. The tubeworms now seem to have died, but this low salinity brackish water lake may increased in salinity because of the lack of rainfall this year and provided a temporary niche for large colonies of these worms.
This is an abundant species.
Images

Information and first ID by Richard Lord (Guernsey)
via the Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Ocean Group


Our Dutch name translates into: "trumpet-calcareous-tube-worm" since the tube often looks as a series of trumpets. This worm disappears after cold winters, demonstrating its subtropical origin.

Corrected and additional information by Godfried Van Moorsel (EcoSub)
Ficopomatus enigmaticus was first noticed in northern France in 1921 (Fauvel 1923). It was first recorded from London docks in 1922 (Monro 1924). This origin of this species is not clear, it occurs in waters of variable salinity in temperate or warm temperate areas of both northern and southern hemispheres.
JNCC Information Page on Ficopomatus enigmaticus

16 November 2003
At a depth of nine metres on the muddy bottom of Loch Creran, Scotland, the nudibranch Facelina bostoniensis appears to be feeding on the Slender Sea-pen, Virgularia mirabilis, which is not noted as a food source for this species in British text books, although it is known to feed on a variety of hydroids. 

 Report by Dan Edwards on the Sea Slug Forum
Original Report and Photograph
Sea Slug Forum Discussion & ID
Opisthobranch Newsletter (Trondjhem Biological Station, Norway)

28 October 2003
The unusual nudibranch feeding on a sea anemone on the lower shore at La Valette on Guernsey's east coast has been identified as probably being the species Aeolidiella alderi.
However, there is still some doubt over the identification and readers are recommended to have a look at the photograph on the web site below. 

Report by Richard Lord (Guernsey) on the Sea Slug Forum
Full Report with the Photographs
Sea Slug Forum
Sea Slug Forum Messages
Sea Slug Forum Species Index
Bernard Picton's Nudibranch Site
BMLSS Nudibranchs

24-25 October 2003
A large number of Sea Hares, Aplysia punctata, are discovered at Pendennis Point, Falmouth, Cornwall. They were mating and in about six metres of water. 

Report by David Ball
of the Silver Dolphin Conservation and Diving Centre at Porthleven, Cornwall


Thousands (literally) of Sea Hares were seen at Porthcothan, Cornwall, on the rocks around Arch Rock at a low spring tide. Their sizes varied from very small up to 50 mm long. This is unusual as shore migrations of adults usually occur in spring. 

Report by Nick Darke on the Cornish Wildlife Mailing List
Sea Slug Forum Messages
Shorewatch Biological Recording
BMLSS Molluscs

20 October 2003
A seal caused a bit of flutter when it was spotted a long way up the tidal River Thames, swimming eastwards towards the sea between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge in a busy part of the city of London. This is less than a mile from the House of Parliament, Westminster.

Report by Lloyd Goodman
BMLSS Seals

11 October 2003
The SHOREHAM FISH FESTIVAL on Coronation Green, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, was attended by 4,000 people if the sunshine as the high six metre spring tide filled the river  just before 1:00 pm. The British Marine Life Study Society held an aquarium display and despite technical problems with a very high plankton content in the water (which meant the large wrasse could not be displayed) the exhibits were well received by the younger age group. 
Picture Gallery

8 October 2003
The ascidian Perophora japonica was collected from crab pot rope off the south coast of Guernsey by Clive Brown. Colonies of this sea squirt live on fucoid seaweeds, pontoons and other hard substrates. The small translucent zooids (approximately 4 mm long) are budded from stolons and generally rather closely packed. Young parts of colony are yellow or greenish-yellow.
This ascidian was first recorded in the British Isles in Plymouth Sound in 1999. It had been discovered on the French coast of Brittany a few years earlier. There has also been a further discovery in the Fleet Lagoon, Dorset (near Chesil Beach). 
Report Message
Further Information (Marlin)

Information and first ID by Richard Lord (Guernsey)
on the Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Ocean Group


7 October 2003
A Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaengliae, off the Netherlands, was found dead at Maasvlakte, Rotterdam, Zuid--Holland. This was the same one that was seen floating on 29 September 2003, a young female, 9 metres in length. 

Report by Vincent van der Spek via UK Cetnet
Live Reports (December 2003)

3 October 2003
Fifteen Risso’s Dolphins, Grampus griseus, were observed at Runnelstone off the Cornish coast, seven large ones keeping apart from each other and a pod of five with some juveniles were milling about in an area of fishermen's pot markers. Later, they all headed slowly westward. 

Report by Jean Lawman on the Cornish Wildlife Trust Marine Sightings web pages


1 October 2003



Photograph by Norman D. van Swelm

The young eight months old Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaengliae, was washed ashore dead on the coast of Katwijk, with the tail and a part of the right flipper missing, with some thin ropes, blue and red/orange in the wounds.

Young Whale Report by Martijn de Jonge



 

29 September 2003
A large dead whale, initially identified as a Minke Whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, was reported floating 8 km west of Hoek van Holland. Subsequently, it was decided to tow the whale out of the way. However, after an analysis of several photographs by Kees Camphuysen, the whale was identified as a Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaengliae. This the first record of this species in The Netherlands! 
Three Images

Report by Jan Wouter on UK Cetnet


27 September 2003
An outlandish and completely unexpected addition to the Portland Island (Dorset) mammal list came today in the form of a Harp Seal, Pagophilus groenlandicus, that was found hauled out on rocks along the East Cliffs at the Bill during the afternoon; it remained there for three hours before being flushed off by the incoming tide. 
Photograph
The Harp Seal is an Arctic species that is hunted (cf. culled) in the frozen north of Canada. 

Report by Martin Cade via John Young via UK Cetnet
Report on Portland Wildlife News
ORCA (Organisation Cetacea) Report with previous sightings
BMLSS Seals

20 September 2003
A Swordfish has been reported stranded on the Causeway to Worms Head, near Rhossilhi Beach, Gower peninsular in south Wales. It lived for one hour. 
NB: this report has not been confirmed.
The swordfish very occasionally reported in British seas is the Broad-billed Swordfish, Xiphias gladius.

Report by Adam Cooper
on the Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Ocean Group
BMLSS Swordfish

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