New Quay, UK - New research shows that New Quay's famous dolphins are clocking on for shifts at the town's fish factory.
Student Jodie Denton spent five weeks getting up before dawn to count the dolphins arriving at New Quay Head outside the factory for their breakfast as the remains of processed whelks were discarded under licence into the sea.
She also used survey data from the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (CBMWC) where she spent the summer working as a volunteer.
Earlier research had suggested that the factory, Quay Fresh and Frozen Foods Ltd, might drive the dolphins away because the carpet of shells was changing the nature of the sea floor, but Jodie's research showed that more animals were present on days when the factory was active.
"My idea was that whelk shell discards would attract the dolphins' prey to the area – which would in turn attract the dolphins", said Jodie, a marine biology student at Swansea University.
"I'd already decided that I wanted to find out what attracts the dolphins to New Quay, but then CBMWC's science officer, Sarah Perry, suggested that I should look at how the times of the fish factory processing periods related to their presence in the area, and the factory were happy to supply details of when their discards took place."
But in the true spirit of scientific research, Jodie's data didn't come easily.
"I had to get up before four o'clock every morning, then walk down the slippery rocks in the dark.
"It was especially hard when it had been raining – I fell over a couple of times and nearly lost my phone.
"But it was always worth it when I got to see the dolphins."
Jodie would now like to expand her study to see if her results hold true over a longer period of time.
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