The Marine Environment Research Association – AIMM – is a non-for profit, non-governmental organization focussed on the research and conservation of marine species that inhabit the Atlantic Ocean, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in the South of Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behaviour and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and adequate policies to marine management.
The main species observed are short beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), although other species such as minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) can also be sighted.
The participants in our internships are young hard working individuals, who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learn data collection and processing methodologies and be part of AIMM team of researchers and marine biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental friendly and multicultural environment.
FIELDWORK (at sea in opportunity & dedicated platforms) is dependent on weather and seat availability in the dolphin watching boats. Field days can be intense, especially in the peak of Summer but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be train to:
On-board surveys of marine species occurrence.
Record track on GPS
Collect data on behaviour, group size, species, etc
Photo-identification.
DATA ANALYSIS (in the accommodation and marina) will be in a daily basis and related to:
Entry data on databases and spread cheats.
Photo-identification processing.
Preliminary data interpretation.