ORCA’s Weblog

Whale and dolphin charity ORCA and international ferry operator DFDS Seaways have been working together for several years to study the wildlife of the North Sea.

2009 sees the start of the second year of our ground-breaking initiative to place Wildlife Education Officers onboard DFDS Seaways ferries sailing across the wildlife rich waters of the North Sea between April and September. Working onboard the King of Scandinavia operating between Newcastle and Amsterdam, and also onboard the Dana Sirena between Harwich and Esbjerg, our Wildlife Officers continue to be a huge hit with the general public.

Onboard ship, our Wildlife Officers offer a suite of exciting activities onboard, including deck watches for wildlife, children's activities and lectures. They have encountered leaping dolphins, magnificent whales, porpoises, seal colonies, soaring birds of prey and diving Gannets; but don't take our word for it, read their fascinating blogs to find out more!

Last year, we asked DFDS Seaways passengers what they would like to change in their lives to make a positive change for our marine wildlife - and the number one response from you was to only buy fish from sustainable sources! With overfishing having a major impact on whales and dolphins, our passengers couldn't have been better informed! As a result of your feedback, ORCA and DFDS Seaways have taken your message onboard and launched The Big Fish Project. This year we will be providing more information on how, where and why we should prioritise fish from sustainable sources -so hop on a DFDS Seaways ferry tomorrow and let us tell you more!

ORCA: www.orcaweb.org.uk/ DFDS Seaways: www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/