Train to be a Marine Mammal Surveyor

Marine Mammal Surveyors are the back bone of all of ORCA’s research

ORCA surveying offers people from all walks of life the opportunity to actively participate in whale and dolphin conservation.

These dedicated volunteers help ORCA's work by donating their valuable time so that important marine mammal habitats can be studied and monitored on the many sea crossings the charity surveys in both UK and European waters.

Survey teams board ferries and cruise ships leaving ports across the UK to conduct scientific surveys to record the species seen, where they are and what they are doing.

Almost anyone can take part in our surveys

Detailed course agenda

All you need is a passion for whales and dolphins, a reasonable level of fitness and to take an ORCA Marine Mammal Surveyor course, which will teach you everything you need to know to become a citizen scientist.

These one day, classroom based courses take place all over the UK and will give you all of the skills you need to identify and record whales, dolphins and porpoises during offshore surveys.

You will learn about the species encountered in European waters, how to interpret their behaviour, as well as understanding ORCA’s distance sampling survey protocol and preparing you for travelling at sea.

What you need to do and know...

Complete an ORCA Marine Mammal Surveyor training course
Become a member of ORCA
Ferry tickets are provided for you
Cabins for overnight sailings are provided for you
Surveyors are responsible for their own travel to and from the ports
Surveyors are responsible for their own travel, insurance and food on board

Book a place on our Marine Mammal Surveyor Course

Book a one day course

Courses are £79 per person and open to over 16s (though please note that you must be 18 to participate in a ferry survey and 21 to participate in a cruise survey). Once you have completed the course and become an ORCA member (starting at £5 per month or £60 per annum), you will then have the opportunity to apply for our offshore surveys (ferry tickets and cabins where applicable) are provided free of charge.

These one day, classroom based courses take place all over the UK and will give you all of the skills you need to identify and record whales, dolphins and porpoises during offshore surveys. You will learn about the species encountered in European waters, how to interpret their behaviour, as well as understanding ORCA’s distance sampling protocol and preparing you for travelling at sea.

Please refer to our ORCA Training Course Terms & Conditions for more details.

All you need is a passion for whales and dolphins

2019/2020 Surveyor Courses

October 2019

Oban - Saturday 12th October 9:30AM-4:30PM (SAMS, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1QA) - SOLD OUT
November 2019

Newcastle - Saturday 9th November 9:30AM - 4:30PM (Life Science Centre, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4EP)

Plymouth - Saturday 23rd November 9:30AM - 4:30PM (Marine Station, University of Plymouth, Artillery Place, Plymouth , PL4 0LU)
December 2019

Southampton - Sunday 1st December 9:30AM - 4:30PM (National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH)
January 2020

Portsmouth - Saturday 18th January 2020 - 9:30AM - 4:30PM (University of Portsmouth, King Henry I Street, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY)

London - Friday 24th January 2020 9:30AM - 4:30PM (IBM South Bank, 76/78 Upper Ground, South Bank, London, SE1 9PZ)