Identification

Title

2005-present Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) Shorewatch Programme records

Abstract

The Shorewatch Programme trains volunteers to conduct land-based watches for cetaceans in coastal waters around northern Scotland. Shorewatch data is effort-based and collected from specific sites using consistent methodology. The complete Shorewatch data set contains effort and sightings from 2005 - 2009 (Spey Bay only) and from 2010 through the most recent completed calendar year from all Shorewatch sites. Longstanding sites can be found in Aberdeen, along the south coast of the Moray Firth, Inverness area, the North coast, the West coast, and the outer Hebrides. Pilot sites exist in some of the other Hebridean islands and on Orkney.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

http://Shorewatch.whales.org

name: WDCS Shorewatch database

description: A link to the Shorewatch online data entry portal

http://www.whales.org

name: whales.org

description: A link to the main WDC website

Unique resource identifier

code

Shorewatch

codeSpace

http://www.whales.org

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2008-01-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2009-11-16

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-8.8537

East bounding longitude

-1.2951

North bounding latitude

59.6695

South bounding latitude

56.8028

Extent

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

North Atlantic Ocean

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

North Sea

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2010-01-01

code identifying the extent

water column

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2014-05-16

code identifying the extent

IVb

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2014-05-16

code identifying the extent

VIa

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2014-05-16

code identifying the extent

IVa

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2005-01-01

End position

2016-12-06

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-11-30

date type

creation

effective date

2005-01-01

Frequency of update

continual

Quality and validity

Lineage

Local volunteers are trained up to carry out 10-minute watches for cetaceans from specific sites around the north coast of Scotland. A 'Shorewatch' methodology is to scan each quadrant of the survey area (left to right) for one minute with binoculars (provided) followed by a one minute naked eye scan and then repeat this process a second time. Watches can occur no more often than once per hour and take place as randomly or scheduled but not because cetaceans are known to be in the area. Casual sightings can be recorded outwith a watch at any time. Volunteers have attended a one day training on methodology and cetacean-ID. They use shared / provided equipment and enter the data into an online database or send in paper datasheets. Regular updates and trainings are provided.

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Data is freely available for use in teaching and conservation but permission must be sought for use if the data will be reproduced in full or part or if used in any analyses. Upon request data can be made available for research or commercial use providing that the originators are acknowledged in any publications produced.

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

The sightings data is visible on the NBN gateway / Atlas of Living Scotland but the full effort-based data set must be requested from WDC Shorewatch.

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

organisation name

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC)

email address

Shorewatch.data@whales.org

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

organisation name

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC)

email address

Shorewatch.data@whales.org

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC)

email address

Shorewatch.data@whales.org

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2016-12-02

Metadata language