Sussex Dolphin Project is based at Shoreham Port as a research project set up in 2018 to study cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and whales) in the Sussex stretch of the eastern English Channel. We run regular boat trips over the summer months to support our work, on which, although not wildlife-watching trips, our guides are always on the lookout for marine life to reveal the hidden wonders of our Sussex coastline to all. You can find more and book our trips here.
We usually get a few familiar questions, so let’s cover those first…
- Are there really dolphins in Sussex waters?
Yes, we research four different cetacean species that we see regularly in Sussex waters, three dolphin species and one porpoise species.
- Isn’t the water too cold for dolphins here?
No, dolphins are found across the planet. They can deal with colder water temperatures by adding more layers of blubber. This means the bottlenose dolphins we see in the UK are the largest in the world.
- Really, how big are these bottlenose dolphins?
A fully grown adult bottlenose dolphin, the largest dolphin we see in Sussex and our most sighted species, can grow up to nearly four metres long.
Sussex Dolphin Project was originally launched as part of the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA), the world’s largest marine conservation partnership. We were set the task of filling in the research gap on cetaceans in Sussex waters and that remains our primary focus. We were initially known as the Brighton Dolphin Project and had a visitor centre under the Brighton Palace Pier. However, when we were offered the chance to move to Shoreham Port in 2021, and partner with Shoreham Port, it was a real opportunity to take the next step in our growth.
We are now an independent organisation and we aspire to collaborate with organisations, and marine stakeholders including the fishing community and the wider Sussex community to create a sightings network. Our team is predominantly volunteer-based and many of us live in the local area. Although we have a strong group of marine scientists, our team comes from various backgrounds and brings a wide range of skills and huge levels of commitment, for which we are forever grateful.
Our research is primarily captured via the Sussex Dolphin Project Citizen science programme with members of the public submitting both opportunistic and effort-based sightings information. By providing affordable training both on land and at sea, we aim to increase opportunities for residents to get involved with marine conservation and ultimately feed into our research programme. We also carry out our own research, and by combining these elements we have developed a unique data set on dolphin activity. Our objective is to identify individual dolphins/pods in order to better understand their behaviour, movement, prey species, and breeding sites. This data can then be used to protect our marine environment and ultimately safeguard cetaceans in Sussex. Our work has already contributed to establishing Sussex as part of the Western English Channel Important Marine Mammal Area, and there is more to come.
However, our mission isn’t just about researching cetaceans; it’s also about helping the community rediscover its connection with the ocean and contribute to its protection.
We see an abundance of life in our waters. The channel is not just a busy shipping lane; it’s also a vital migration route for marine life and a hunting ground for marine mammals such as bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises, which we see regularly. Add that to our resident grey and common seals plus the odd sighting of sunfish, bluefin tuna, various sharks and rays and even minke and humpback whales, and we get a better picture of this small but vibrant stretch of ocean. The presence of iconic predators reflects a functioning marine food web. Although it is not as vibrant as it once was, we have something worth protecting, and that can only be achieved by working together as a community.
As a result, much of our work is geared around the community to underline the importance of a balanced marine ecosystem. To achieve this aim, we offer boat trips to enable people to re-discover their love of our blue planet. We also manage a terrestrial conservation project called Conservation Corridor at Shoreham Port to connect the community to its wildlife.
We’d love to share some more of our discoveries and insights and tell you more about the story of our cetaceans and the community that has powered their discovery. We’re planning an event at the Ropetackle Arts Centre in October to meet as many of you as possible. We hope to see you there.
In the meantime, if you are interested in getting involved, we have a volunteer application form on our website as well as a Cetacean ID guide and more information about our work. So please feel free to get in touch. We’re always happy to talk about dolphins!
Website: https://sussexdolphinproject.org/
