Marine wildlife project wins funding

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Marine wildlife project wins funding 9/3/14

Conservation charity Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) has been awarded £120,000 from the UK Government’s Coastal Communities Fund.

The cash is for an innovative project to strengthen people’s connections to the sea in 15 remote island communities across the Hebrides.

HWDT’s ambitious Sea Change project aims to strengthen conservation of whales, dolphins and porpoises – collectively known as cetaceans – and develop the region’s appeal as a major destination for wildlife tourism.

Key to this will be engaging coastal communities in learning, training and volunteering – so that they can develop stronger links with and understanding of their marine environment, and invest in its sustainable use for the long-term benefit of local people.

Eva Varga, HWDT Operations Manager, said: “This Coastal Communities Fund award is fantastic news for our work with communities in the Hebrides. We want our Sea Change project to help local people make the most of their natural marine assets – benefitting the conservation of our world-class marine environment and bringing real economic and social benefits to the whole region.

“The project will set up a legacy, with the communities themselves taking ownership of it, and so ensuring its sustainability for years to come. We hope that increased tourism numbers will also strengthen the tourist-dependent businesses in each community.”

She added: “In the communities involved, the success of our Community Sightings Network – through which people can report sightings of cetaceans, helping us to map their distribution off Scotland’s west coast – and of our educational visits have shown a real enthusiasm for Scotland’s remarkable and inspiring marine biodiversity.”

The scheme will support local people by developing skills and creating work opportunities through an extended Community Sightings Network.

It is planned that the Sea Change project will be carried out on Mull, Coll and Tiree, Islay and Jura, Colonsay, Barra, Small Isles (Eigg, Muck, Rum, Canna), Mallaig and Arisaig, and in two locations on Skye. Each of these communities attracts tourism and has seen an increase in wildlife tourism in recent years.

The importance of white-tailed eagles to the local economy of Mull and Skye is well-documented. HWDT believes developing sustainable marine wildlife eco-tourism could have similar or greater success.

The Sea Change project will directly create two new jobs including a new full-time Sightings and Strandings Officer, to train volunteers, organise school visits and support 15 community-based hubs on the islands, which will then run the project from their own community.

The new employee will also liaise with boat operators, local people and tourists on reporting marine animal sightings and strandings.