Welsh coastal habitats as calving and nursery grounds for the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)
The results of an investigation into strandings data for evidence that harbour porpoises breed and calve in Welsh coastal waters. Harbour porpoise calves are recorded annually off the Welsh coast from mid-May onwards. However, published survey data is lacking for the region and the distribution and relative abundance of calves have not been reported. This project present data from harbour porpoise strandings on the Welsh coast collected through the collaborative UK and Celtic Marine Mammal Strandings Project, examines the incidence and seasonality of calf and neonate strandings and compare stranding rates in Wales with England, Scotland and Ireland. The only data associated with this project is held within the report. Raw data is held by CSIP.
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS110015
- Alternative Title
-
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
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Data collation and desk study. Marine mammal and turtle strandings in Wales are reported to Marine Environmental Monitoring (MEM) via a dedicated telephone line. MEM respond to and collect systematic data from all stranding incidents, identify/confirm species, measure body length, sex the carcass, collect tissue samples, and advise on disposal of carcasses. In addition, animals in fresh, slight or moderate condition are recovered whenever possible placed in cold storage or taken directly for post mortem examination. All records of cetacean strandings in England and Wales are held by the Natural History Museum, London and have been since 1913. The present study investigates all strandings of harbour porpoise recorded on the Welsh coast over a 10 year period between January 1989 and January 1999. Identification of maternally dependant and neonate calves- overall body length used to separate stranded animals into approximate age classes. Classify animals of 110cm or less as 'calves'. Body length maximum of 90cm to identify calves that were still maternally dependent, i.e. neonates and calves assumed too young to survive alone.
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 1999-12-31
Temporal Extent
- Begin date
- 1989-01-01
- End date
- 1999-01-31
- Topic category
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- Biota
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- Wales (WLS)
))
Vertical Extent
- Medin Extent Keyword
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benthic boundary layer
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
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-
Documents
(
)
- Specification
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Report is held as Word document, and within a Winzip. Folder
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Documents
(
)
Quality
Data quality
- Quality Scope
- Dataset
- Conformity
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
- Explanation
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This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
- Degree
- false
- Lineage
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Data collation and desk study. Marine mammal and turtle strandings in Wales are reported to Marine Environmental Monitoring (MEM) via a dedicated telephone line. MEM respond to and collect systematic data from all stranding incidents, identify/confirm species, measure body length, sex the carcass, collect tissue samples, and advise on disposal of carcasses. In addition, animals in fresh, slight or moderate condition are recovered whenever possible placed in cold storage or taken directly for post mortem examination. All records of cetacean strandings in England and Wales are held by the Natural History Museum, London and have been since 1913. The present study investigates all strandings of harbour porpoise recorded on the Welsh coast over a 10 year period between January 1989 and January 1999. Identification of maternally dependant and neonate calves- overall body length used to separate stranded animals into approximate age classes. Classify animals of 110cm or less as 'calves'. Body length maximum of 90cm to identify calves that were still maternally dependent, i.e. neonates and calves assumed too young to survive alone.
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
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NRW Thesaurus
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- carcass
- strandings
- calving grounds
- Natural History Museum
- postmortem
- marine and freshwater inventory
- neonate calves
- Marine Environmental Monitoring (MEM)
- phocoena phocoena
- nursery grounds
- harbour porpoises
- cetaceans (see also specific species)
- body length
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2026-08-27
Keywords
Spatial Reference System
Content
Content Information
NRW Profile
Custom Elements
- NRW Related Title
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The use of Welsh coastal habitats as calving and nursing grounds for the Harbour Porpoise
Constraints
Constraints
Limitations on Public Access and Use
- Restriction type
- Other restrictions
Access Constraints Directive
- Limitations
- no limitations
Access Constraints Text
- Other constraints
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There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.
Use Constraints
- Use constraints type
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
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© CNC/NRW Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and copyright of the owners. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.
Metadata
Metadata
- File Identifier
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313130303135 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2026-09-28T11:44:03.749Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
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1.0