CREELING FOR SOUNDS

Creeling for Sounds: Fishermen and Scientists Team Up to Listen to Scotland’s Seas

This winter, an innovative pilot project is underway off Scotland’s west coast, bringing fishermen and scientists together to explore new ways of listening beneath the waves according to an article on the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) website.

Creeling for Sounds is led by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) in collaboration with local creel fishermen. The project is trialling a practical, community-led approach to collecting underwater acoustic data by deploying recording devices alongside active creel gear.

The aim is to test whether passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) equipment can be safely and effectively used within working fisheries. By trialling different deployment methods, attachment designs and device settings under real fishing conditions, the project will assess both the scientific value of the data collected and the practicality of this approach for fishermen at sea.

If successful, the findings will help determine whether this method could be scaled up to support long-term, year-round monitoring of whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans), as well as levels of underwater noise around Scotland’s coastline. Such monitoring could strengthen the evidence base needed to better understand and protect marine ecosystems, while ensuring coastal communities are part of the solution.

Listening beneath the waves

Understanding where cetaceans are found and how they use Scottish waters throughout the year is vital for effective conservation. These long-lived animals spend much of their lives underwater, making them difficult to study, particularly during winter months or in poor weather conditions.

Sound plays a crucial role in the marine environment. Cetaceans rely on it to communicate, navigate and find food, but increasing levels of human-made noise can disrupt these behaviours. Long-term PAM offers a non-invasive way to detect cetaceans and to assess how human activities are altering the underwater soundscape. This information is essential for meeting national and international marine conservation commitments.

From the outset, the Isle of Mull community has been central to the project’s development. Local fishermen and businesses have donated creel pots and shared their expertise to help design robust, practical housings for the acoustic equipment that work in real-world fishing conditions.

During the initial trials, a local fishing vessel worked closely with HWDT’s science officer to test deployment and retrieval methods, recorder positioning and attachment techniques. These early trials have provided valuable insights into how acoustic monitoring can be integrated into creel fishing operations while minimising interference with gear and catch.

By combining scientific research with fishermen’s knowledge and experience, Creeling for Sounds demonstrates how collaboration can support both sustainable fisheries and marine conservation.

Images © Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT)

Source

Original article by Hannah Lightley