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2.3.7 Scientific research

Whilst there have been records of bottlenose dolphins in Cardigan Bay since the 1920’s [61], research of the dolphins has only really increased in the last few decades.

Facilities for research within the bay are however quite poor. There are no major marine research stations near by (the School of Ocean Sciences at Menai Bridge is the closest) and, for boat work, there is a lack of non-drying harbours with adjacent research facilities. The University of Aberystwyth provides a local centre of research but does not have a specific research interest in the Bay’s bottlenose dolphins. Facilities for cold storage of stranded cetacean carcasses have however been provided in the past by the University. The Marine Strandings Project, a significant contributor of cetacean information in the bay, has facilities for removal and storage of dead strandings. The local Marine Wildlife Centre at New Quay does provide the opportunity for acting as a logistical base for any activity out of New Quay Harbour, the focus for dolphin interest within the bay.

Recent research projects, conducted in the Bay during 1998 and 1999 are given in Appendix 6. Few of these projects form part of long-term initiatives. The most significant long term studies conducted within the bay in recent years include work by Terry Bristow – now continued by the New Quay dolphin Monitoring Group, the Marine Strandings Project – which now forms part of a collaborative Celtic project, research and sightings recording by SeaWatch Foundation, and research by Greenpeace and Aberdeen University.

[61] Evans, P.G.H. and Scanlan, G. 1989. Historical status changes of cetaceans in British and Irish waters. European Research on Cetaceans 3. (Ed. P.G.H. Evans and C. Smeenk). European Cetacean Society, Cambridge. pp 51-57.