Author: Jana Robertson

Who was involved in fieldwork? 

I was mainly the one collecting and filtering water, but on occasion, I had assistance from team members of CW Azores, the whale watching company who is a partner of the eWHALE project (Pico, Azores). I also was helped by the biopsy-collection team at the University of Azores (Faial, Azores) who were collecting biopsies from sperm whales.

Lauren Sampling with University of the Azores

Where did you go sampling? 

Mainly, we were sampling around the islands of Pico and Faial (see the map!) and occasionally near São Jorge.

How was the weather/sea conditions? 

Mostly, the weather was beautiful! Blue skies, calm water, and sun. On occasion, there were nasty weather conditions.

Pico, Faial

Which species were you targeting and why? 

Onboard CW Azores vessels, we were targeting any whale species as the goal was to optimize sampling protocols in general whereas with the university team, we were targeting sperm whales. The samples with the university team will be analyzed for the purpose of assessing intraspecific genetic diversity - therefore, the biopsies from sperm whales will be directly compared with genetic data derived from the water!

Sperm Whale @RicardoFGVentura

Which other species did you see? 

During my time in the Azores, I saw so many creatures! The marine mammals that I saw were sperm whales (of course), Northern bottlenose whales, Sowerby’s beaked whales, false killer whales, bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins, and spotted dolphins. I also saw a lot of Cory’s shearwater birds (a common seabird around the Azores), small lizards, and mobula (Devil rays).

What was the most interesting thing that happened in the field? 

While onboard the University of Azores research vessel, we saw a baby sperm whale that was only a couple of hours old! It was very special. That same day, we also got to see a pod of spotted dolphins that had newborns (see picture!).

Spotted Dolphin with Baby

What was the best part of fieldwork? 

Aside from the obvious answer of working alongside whales, my favorite part was working with other marine mammal researchers and whale watching guides. Everyone was very kind and welcomed me with open arms. I even got to attend a festival on the island of Pico with staff from CW Azores!

Lauren with Michael and Rita from CW Azores

Were you working with citizen scientists? If so, were they interested in eWHALE?

Onboard the whale watching boats with CW Azores, most citizen scientists were very interested in hearing about eWHALE and whale research in general! Most hadn’t heard of environmental DNA before but understood the concepts of using DNA evidence from shows like CSI. Whale watchers got to see me collect and filter water for eDNA near sperm whales during their 2-3 hour expedition.

Lauren Sampling with CW Azores

Who was involved in fieldwork?

The data collection required at least two people. I was mainly the one collecting and filtering water with the assistance of Taime, a team member from the Ocean Missions NGO. Two interns from the University of Iceland Research Center and three North Sailing whale watching guides also took part in the field work when I was not available. I also ensured that the communication between the crew onboard and the people in charge of the sampling was clear and flowed easily and that the captains had enough information to help us take the water samples. In most cases, the reception and communication were very good, and the sampling operation was successful.

Belén collecting water samples with the Ocean Missions NGO

When did you go sampling?

Data collection started 5^th of July and was performed up to two times a week depending on weather conditions until we reached a total of 18 samples and two controls (on the 23rd of October). All the samples were collected in Skjálfandi Bay (see map).

Sampling stations during field season in 2023 in Skjálfandi Bay (Húsavík, Iceland)

Which species were you targeting and why?

We were targeting mainly humpback whales as they are the main focus in the eWHALE project. They are the most sighted whale species in the bay and it is relatively easy to approach. The University of Iceland has been studying these whales through photo Identification for more than a decade. Therefore, it is relevant to assess the feasibility to incorporate the DNA approach to the ongoing efforts on humpback whale research in the region. Yet we were willing to try eDNA sampling in other species (eg, minke whales, blue whales) if the opportunity arose.

Humpback Whale

Were you working with citizen scientists? If so, were they interested in eWHALE?

Passengers were informed about the sampling during the tour; however, they didn’t participate directly in the sampling in order to avoid contamination of the samples. Generally, they were interested and asking questions!

An advantage of the Whale Sails and Science tour, which is organized in cooperation with the Ocean Missions non-profit organization, is the reduced number of passengers (maximum 20). The smaller passenger group facilitates the sampling, enhances the interaction within guests and increases the awareness, whilst it considerably reduces the risks of contamination of the samples. Generally, more people were interested in this kind of tour.

The high participation on the DNA surveys demonstrate that people were generally interested in the research and willing to participate. However, the weather was often cold and harsh, demotivating people to focus much on something.

Which other species did you see?

Frequently sighted species were minke whales, white beaked dolphins, bule whales (mainly in late May – beginning of June) and occasionally killer whales, Northern bottlenoses and fin whales. We realized that getting a sample directly  from the fluke print of these species can be quite challenging in this area.  Obviously, we saw plenty of seabird’s species, including hundreds of puffins that come to breed every summer in our beautiful  Puffin Island.

What was the best part of fieldwork?

Besides the many unforgettable encounters with the whales, I think the good atmosphere onboard and the coordination between the crew and the people in charge of the sampling was the best part for me to see. There was a constant feeling of teamwork and for every fluke print we got, everyone was excited and celebrated, including the passengers onboard! so I think it was definitely bringing added value to the tours, specially in the regular whale watching tours.

What was the most interesting thing that happened in the field?

Several very interesting things happened while we were collecting samples in our bay, such as the day we were able to sample a stream that came from Greenland with glacier water. But the one we remember with the most enthusiasm was a day with calm and flat seas, without wind and with a huge sun, when while we were filtering calmly in the stern and all the passengers were in the bow, we suddenly heard two energetic and powerful blows right next to us. Two northern bottlenose beaked whales had appeared! These animals are not at all common in Skjálfandi, but every year they spend a few days in August with us. Being able to enjoy them like this was quite a gift.

Fieldwork Fun in Iceland