Hydrophone Project 2018

One of the early ideas was to install a hydrophone system that would pick up and record sea mammal movements and their calls and have this information on a screen in the community hub. Initial discussions were held with Alison Lomax of the Whale & Dolphin Trust who provided invaluable advice on the subject.

The Hydrophone would be fixed in Aird Bay and signals relayed via a cable to a receiver and any live signals and sounds would be shown on a screen in Gallan Beag. Consideration was given to a wireless system and HIE interface put us in touch with various agencies including Strathclyde  University professor James Windmill and Melanie Consentino and also Dr. Andrew Hudson and Dr. Patrick Hickey of Edinburgh University, all of whom provided advice on the most up-to-date technologies. However, to date, the technical difficulties and cost involved have rendered it unachievable.

An alternative to this was to link up with local boats and discussions were held with Murray Macleod of Seatrek to look at establishing a phone app system to relay information from the Seatrek vessel hydrophones when they were out on trips. Katie Dyke and Alison Rose of Whale & Dolphin Conservation also provided input about the project and Gallan Head becoming a shore watch station.