SAMS Ocean Explorer Scottish Association for Marine Science

Send us a Text Message.Whether it's an attack by another marine creature, or disorientation in a noisy ocean, there are various reasons for marine mammals to wash up on the shoreline.So how do we find out the cause of each stranding?The Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) undertakes forensic investigations into strandings around the Scottish coast. Its work complements marine mammal research at institutes like SAMS and helps to piece together what's happening in the unseen underwa...

Send us a Text Message.A superfood, a sustainable source of fuel and an overall environmentally-friendly industry; there's plenty to like about seaweed farming!But following some recent unsuccessful planning applications in the UK, it seems that 'green' credentials alone may not be enough to ensure industry growth. As seaweed farmers grapple with issues of scaling up and cost in the UK and Europe, will the industry ever realise its full potential? And what else should be done to win public ap...

Send us a Text Message.Can whales be famous? Are they becoming more of less common in our coastal waters? How are they affected by climate change and pollution?Despite being among the largest creatures on the planet, whales can be difficult to monitor, given the distances they travel and the time they spend below the sea surface.In this episode, we welcome Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust Director Alison Lomax to talk about the organisation's crucial survey work in Scotland's west coast wate...

Send us a Text Message.It's all contained within a yellow case, the size of a small suitcase, but the SIMBA instrument is revolutionising the way scientists measure ice melt rate and thickness and, more recently, how they assess avalanche and flood risk.SIMBA, or Snow Ice Mass Balance Apparatus, is developed and built by SAMS Enterprise and now has a number of applications. The research and development into this technology, spearheaded by senior engineer Phill Thompson, has seen it been deplo...

Send us a Text Message.Marine heatwaves are becoming more common and more intense.They can have devastating effects on ocean life, particularly corals and other species that are fixed in one location.This year, large parts of the ocean have been at a state of near permanent heatwave, with one particular heatwave off northern UK, lasting 237 days, from August 2022 to April 2023. To learn more, we speak to Prof Mike Burrows, part of the research team that defined the term 'marine heatwave'...

Send us a Text Message.A typical image of a whale is a majestic creature cruising through the deep and vast ocean. But our coastal seas contain unseen hazards, including creel lines, in which they can become entangled. Continuing our #WhaleTalk series, we meet Susannah Calderan and Dr Steven Benjamins to discuss the extent of the whale entanglement problem and reveal how a collaboration between researchers and fishermen may have come up with the solution.The Ocean Explorer podcast is pro...