Scientific surveys and research
From sea floor to sea shore, seeing more.
The pages of our website will show you some of the riches of Cardigan Bay, the threats to it and how we all can be part of the solution. Whether you are a visitor to the Bay, a resident of the Bay area or purely a visitor on the web, we hope you will find our work interesting.
Friends of Cardigan Bay is an active conservation group based in Aberystwyth on the shores of Cardigan Bay, West Wales. Founded in 1989, our aims are;
To conserve and improve the quality of the environment of Cardigan Bay for all life
Increase public awareness of the effects of pollution and other threats to the Bay and its inhabitants
Join with other local and national organizations in monitoring the environment of the Bay and campaigning for it's proper protection.
Press Statement 14th February 2010
FoCB are very pleased that the Welsh assembly government has taken over the responsibility of fisheries management in Welsh waters. We are fully supportive of their vision for a sustainable fishery involving an ecosystem based management approach. Whilst there is obviously still work to do we are also pleased that they had taken on board advice and views gleaned from information provided through the Scallop consultation process. We are, however, disappointed that they have decided to open up the inshore area (out to 3 nautical miles) between the SAC’s despite our concerns and those of CCW in their advice to WAG. Aside from this there are also potential issues of appropriate assessments within the fishery. Despite this we have always acknowledged that Cardigan Bay is an area of importance for many different types of fishing, not just scalloping. We also remain firm in our view that adequate policing is essential. FoCB would like to emphasise that we want to see a healthy and productive seabed supporting a long term thriving and sustainable fishing industry and a continued diversity of wildlife for future generations.
Present and future direction of Friends of Cardigan Bay:
Our emphasis at present is on research and monitoring of the rich and diverse flora and fauna of the Bay around Aberystwyth. It is this research and long term monitoring that provides a stable platform for future management decisions. We believe that present management frameworks are woefully in-adequate in protecting this fragile environment, and fully support the future Marine Bill.
In 2007 we were one of only eight stakeholders in the UK that were asked by The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to contribute to a campaigning film in support of a marine bill called, 'A Fair Share of The Sea' Follow the links to view the film in either the four minute or eighteen minute full version. WWF-UK: A fair share of the sea or read more in WWF-UK: The bigger picture
During 2000-2008 we conducted:
- A weekly dolphin watch from Aberystwyth castle over the summer months
- Offshore bottlenose dolphin surveys throughout Cardigan Bay part funded by the Countryside Council for Wales utilising our own survey vessels.
- Instigated a series of benthic surveys linked to the foraging of the bottlenose dolphin at previously identified hotspots (See 2005 Sarn's report) This was the first time in Cardigan Bay that this approach had been adopted using Seasearch techniques to evaluate benthic biotopes, and determine potential prey species.
- Continuing Investigations of the unique wildlife found on Sarn Cynfelyn, our local reef running off Wallog, near Clarach Bay, from above and below the surface.
- A collaboration with Aberystwyth University looking at the use of Aberystwyth harbour by the bottlenose dolphin as part of a M.Sc. project.
We work closely with other marine wildlife groups and government departments covering the Welsh coast such as the Countryside Council for Wales, Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation and Aberystwyth University. By sharing information we can work together to build up a better picture of the overall health of the Bay.
For the 'Aberystwyth Bottlenose Dolphin survey and results 2008' please click below
For 2009: We will be continuing a limited amount of cetacean surveys (funded by ourselves (due to a lack of government funding) and continuing with our program of benthic surveys in and around Aberystwyth.
For the latest Marine Monitoring report to The countryside Council for Wales:
Hughes, P. and Hughes, R, E. 2009. Sarn Cynfelyn to the Dyfi Estuary: Habitat and Cetacean Survey 2006/7.CCW Marine Monitoring Report No. 69.
Click Here
For more information please email :- cbc.focb@yahoo.co.uk
