This season, AECO members are invited to participate in a marine conservation initiative supporting global efforts to protect marine mammals. ORCA, a whale and dolphin charity and AECO associate member, is offering complimentary access to their OceanWatchers app for expedition teams, officers, and crew.

The app is designed for use during vessel operations, enabling guides to log wildlife observations and allowing crew to record sightings during their watches. No prior experience is required, and ORCA provides online training.

Data collected through the app is shared with researchers, NGOs, and government agencies and contributes to the development of marine protected areas and monitoring of population changes from Antarctica to the Arctic.

To participate, submit the names and email addresses of your team members to ORCA’s Chief Operating Officer, Steve Jones. Participants will receive a short training course on using the app, with an optional refresher on marine mammal identification.

For more information or questions, contact steve@orca.org.uk.