What we do
Monitor
Recording and monitoring harbour porpoises, dolphins and other marine mammals throughout the Clyde.
Listen
Using Passive Acoustic Monitoring to explore the underwater soundscape and listen to the clicks, calls and vocalisations of marine mammals.
Research
Developing research projects that help answer important questions about marine mammal behaviour, distribution and conservation.
Connect
Encouraging coastal communities, boat users and members of the public to report sightings and contribute to our understanding of marine life.
Collaborate
Bringing together communities, researchers, conservation organisations and others with an interest in the Clyde’s marine environment.
Protect
Supporting better understanding, management and protection of marine mammals and their habitats.
WHY THE CLYDE?
A sea that is changing
We don’t know the whole story!
Marine mammals do not recognise council boundaries, marine plans or organisational boundaries.
The animals we see in the Clyde may also travel through the sea lochs, the Irish Sea and the wider North Channel.
To understand them, we need to understand the connections.
WHERE DO THEY GO?
Marine mammals can travel vast distances, but we still have much to learn about how they move through the Clyde and surrounding waters.
WHEN ARE THEY HERE?
Understanding when animals are present helps us build a clearer picture of how they use the Clyde throughout the year.
WHICH PLACES MATTER?
Some areas may be particularly important for feeding, travelling, resting or social behaviour.
We need to find them.
WHAT CAN THEY HEAR?
The underwater world is filled with sound.
Ships, boats and human activity all contribute to the acoustic environment marine mammals depend upon.
WHAT CONNECTS THE CLYDE?
The Clyde is part of a much bigger marine landscape.
Understanding those connections is essential.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Better understanding creates better opportunities for communities, researchers and decision-makers to protect marine life.
WHY CLYDE PORPOISE?
Because understanding becomes before protection!
We cannot protect what we do not understand.
Clyde Porpoise brings together observation, acoustic monitoring, research and collaboration to build a clearer picture of the marine mammals that share these waters with us.
By recording what we see, listening beneath the waves and connecting knowledge across the region, we can begin to answer some of the questions that still remain.
The more we understand, the better decisions we can make for the future of the Clyde.
Discovering the Clyde beneath the surface
Our work focuses on three simple things: understanding the animals, exploring their hidden world and building connections that can help protect their future.
THE ANIMALS
The Clyde is home to more marine life than many people realise.
From harbour porpoises moving quietly through coastal waters to dolphins and visiting whales, every sighting helps us build a better understanding of the animals that share this remarkable place.
THE HIDDEN WORLD
Much of the marine world cannot be seen from the shore.
Through acoustic monitoring, we can listen beneath the waves for porpoise clicks, dolphin communication and the sounds of an underwater world that is usually hidden from us.
THE CONNECTION
The Clyde does not exist in isolation.
Its waters connect the sea lochs, the Firth of Clyde and the wider North Channel, linking marine mammals, communities and researchers across a much larger marine landscape.
