CATT F-POD Data - England South

These data gathered and contributed to CATT by:

• University of Plymouth with Sussex Dolphin Project
• Dorset Wildlife Trust

England South ~ Equivalent to MMO Marine Plans 6 and 7

Each site has a unique Site Code of 13 characters GB 050N 005W XXX the first three characters are landmass, the next six are latitude and longitude, the last three identify the specific site.

The data set contains files generated by the Chelonia Limited passive acoustic logger, F-POD. The files can be analysed using the freeware available on a link in related materials. This dataset is updated regularly with new recordings.

Classification and noise risks are scored from 0 to 11 for each file using ‘Classification Warnings’ (Files & Filters Tab) Quick view or export.

• Summed risks of 3 or 4 require user evaluation.
• Summed risks of 5 or 6 likely require special handling.
• Summed risks of 7 and above are likely highly misleading.

The CATT project aims to track trends in the population of those cetacean groups that can be monitored acoustically by logging their echo-location activity using the F-POD instrument made by Chelonia. These groups are porpoises, dolphins and all other toothed whales except the Sperm Whale.

Long term population monitoring projects are notoriously difficult to establish using conventional funding streams, so CATT is supported by the participants and by Chelonia Limited. Chelonia is loaning instruments and providing free data curation, some data analysis, and funding for the deployment of F-PODs on some coastal observation sites maintained for other purposes. After 5 years it should be possible to form a clear assessment of the utility of the project and how it might best proceed.

The data will become openly available within 6 months of being brought ashore, on the basis that users should notify and acknowledge the participants whose data is used.

The data can support various types of analysis and opportunities that will include:

• Detection of trends over time in levels of cetacean acoustic activity.
• Insights into local patterns of cetacean activity of particular interest to participating citizen groups.
• Studies of cetacean acoustic behaviour – F-POD data has already given major insights into
• click-based social communication in riverine and marine dolphins, and in porpoises.
• Opportunities for Master’s projects and larger academic studies.
• Opportunities for training in relevant skills including handling and analysing the data set.
• Opportunities for raising awareness of ocean life.

University of Plymouth with Sussex Dolphin Project

DEV Lundy IonaA GB051N004WLIO

SUS Kingmere CS GB050N000WKGM

SUS Selsey 4 GB050N000WSS4

SUS Selsey 8 GB050N000WSS8

DEV ST DUNSTANS GB050N002WLYD

DEV Wembury GB050N004WWMB

DEV WEST TENANTS GB050N002WYLT

DOR DurlstonBay GB050N001WDRL

DOR DurlstonHead GB050N001WDRL

DOR LymeBayPits DOR50N002WLCB

IOW Ventnor GB050N001WVEN

Dorset Wildlife Trust

DOR DurlstonBay GB050N001WDRL

DOR DurlstonHead GB050N001WDRL

DOR LymeBayPits DOR50N002WLCB