A big congratulations to Kevin from everyone at CRRU and a heartfelt THANK YOU for all that you’ve done over the past 30 years, and for all the years ahead! ❤️

On receiving the award: “I am both humbled and very honoured to receive the news of this award, but the award is testament to the hard work and contribution of so many individuals that have made the recognition of CRRU’s long-term conservation work in northeast Scotland possible”.

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas break, and a healthy and happy 2026!

We would like to thank everyone who has volunteered their time and energy to support us in 2025 - our staff, trustees, sponsors and of course our team members and interns who all make our vital work possible.

As always, we have been lucky enough to witness some wonderful marine life during our field work this past summer in the Moray Firth, including 10 different species of whales and dolphins!

Our research continues to inform the Southern Trench MPA, and we were notably able to publish a number of leading research papers in 2025 in the peer-reviewed journals Molecular Biology, Global Ecology and Biogeography and Oceans, as well as co-authoring two forthcoming book chapters. 😊

Thanks to last year’s fundraising efforts - and to everyone who contributed - we were able to get our new research boat “Helios” out on the water this year. We have really noticed a boost in capability.

We have had a fantastic year, continuing our long-term work in the Moray Firth, supporting new research development, exciting new collaborations, and further recognition for our contributions to marine conservation for UK whales and dolphins.

To read more about the extensive research being carried out by CRRU on these whales, go to crru.org.uk/research/pub... and type "minke" in the search box! 🧪

#research #science #marinebiology #whales #minkewhales #eDNA #cetaceans #animals

Having worked with these whales for almost 30 years now, CRRU's ongoing studies are incredibly important for the future protection of these presently "data-deficient" (and still commercially exploited) coastal balaenopterid whales that we so dearly cherish and love. 🐋

We are also able to track the foraging patterns of the whales by recording each footprint location (left by the whale each time it surfaces and dives), from which eDNA samples are also collected for individual genetic analyses.

⛵ In such cases, our approach is simply to "hang" with the whales, sitting most of the time with engines and sonar off, then moving with the animals as they relocate from one feeding patch to the next - allowing us to observe and record their unique feeding methods and individual entrapment methods.

Other than recording individuals sighted during encounters (recaptures are highly informative to the site tenacity and movements of this meta-population), most of our research work (stable isotope studies, sex segregation, telemetry studies etc) is difficult to apply when the animals are feeding.

We have also suggested that the identification of groups containing "good mothers" would be highly desirable for conservation efforts for the future viability and protection of this potentially vulnerable northeast dolphin population. 🧪

#dolphins #bottlenose #research #science #conservation

From our long-term studies we have established that there is a good cadre vs a poor cadre of mothers in this Moray Firth bottlenose population (see: assets.ctfassets.net/xe1w9sqtia79...).

"Blotchy" has successfully raised 4 of her 5 previous calves, so we have high hopes for this wee one, and will continue to track the health and welfare of mum and her little one over the following weeks/months ahead. 🧪

#dolphins #bottlenosedolphins #cetaceans #research #conservation #science

Further impact may also be due the increase in vessel traffic and associated noise disturbance caused by the proposed export cable corridors and landfall sites for new wind farm operations adjacent to this newly-designated MPA. 🧪

#whales #minkewhales #conservation #research #science #marinebiology