Bahamas 2023: An Introduction
In 2022, the University of St Andrews Scottish Oceans Institute were granted funding from the Connery Foundation to promote and undertake research and education in the Bahamas and Scotland. We are starting this program by running a field course focused on marine biodiversity monitoring in the Bahamas. This field course provides students from the University of St Andrews and the University of the Bahamas the opportunity to learn about marine conservation with field leaders to develop and inspire the next generation of marine conservationists.
Who are we?
The team consists of leading researchers in marine bioacoustics, including Dr Julie Oswald and Prof Vincent Janik form the University of St Andrews and Dr Diane Claridge and Dr Charlotte Dunn from the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO), alongside university students from the University of St Andrews and the University of The Bahamas.
What are our goals?
Through this field course, we aim to establish a relationship between universities to foster collaboration between undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers, aiming to conserve the marine environment using cutting-edge bioacoustic techniques. Our field course will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and experience between researchers and students using a hands-on, field-based, practical approach. It also provides opportunities for us to see the threats facing the oceans through the eyes of others who have had completely different life experiences than we have. These new insights will allow us to understand the issues facing the marine environment in a way that would not be possible based on classroom learning alone.
Why the Bahamas?
The Bahamas is a hotspot for marine biodiversity and is particularly vulnerable to biodiversity loss. Additionally, the Bahamas has been the location of unusual mass stranding events of some cetacean species, including vulnerable beaked whales, potentially due to the exposure to navy sonar. Hence, understanding the impact of human activity on marine mammal populations, and indeed marine biodiversity overall, is particularly interesting in the Bahamian Islands.
What are we doing in 2023?
Together, the teams from the University of St Andrews and the University of The Bahamas will be convening on Abaco Island in March 2023 to learn the skills necessary to undertake bioacoustic research in Bahamian waters whilst also partaking in cultural activities and conducting scientific outreach within the local Bahamian community. In doing so, we hope to learn about the bioacoustic behaviour of various marine species to better understand their biology and elucidate necessary conservation actions. Additionally, we hope to learn about Bahamian culture and engage the local community with the marine environment and conservation. Ultimately, through this field course, we hope to benefit both the Bahamian community and the marine ecosystem.