King Edward Point marine biologists Rhiannon Nicol and Camille De Pasquale join a GSGSSI fisheries patrol vessel crew member in setting up the multi-channel acoustic mooring in Cumberland Bay, South Georgia. Photo: Tracy Cooper, GSGSSI Government Officer.
During the final weekend of June, King Edward Point marine biologists Camille De Pasquale and Rhiannon Nicol worked alongside the captain and crew of the South Georgia Government fisheries patrol vessel to successfully recover and redeploy three acoustic moorings in Cumberland Bay, South Georgia.
The moorings are equipped with SoundTrap acoustic recorders that capture whale vocalisations as well as vessel noise. Their deployment forms a key component of the Darwin Plus-funded project, Creating a Sustainable Framework for Monitoring Whales at South Georgia, which is establishing the first acoustic monitoring network in Cumberland Bay.
One of the moorings is fitted with a multi-channel SoundTrap recorder, enabling researchers not only to detect sounds but also to determine their direction of origin, providing valuable information on the location and movement of whales within the area.
Camille and Rhiannon, together with Katie Wells, have worked tirelessly to support the project, undertaking the construction, recovery and redeployment of the moorings in often challenging conditions.
To date, the acoustic recorders have captured vocalisations from humpback, southern right, blue, sperm and killer whales. The project will continue until March 2027, and the valuable acoustic dataset it generates will help inform the management and conservation of South Georgia’s recovering whale populations.