The 37th Annual European Cetacean Society Conference was held this year in Dundee, Scotland, bringing together marine mammal professionals, researchers, students and conservationists from across Europe and beyond. As always, ECS proved to be an inspiring and energising event, packed with workshops, presentations, posters and opportunities to reconnect with colleagues old and new.
The Marine Mammal Observer Association (MMOA) was proud to be represented throughout the week and delighted to sponsor one of the pre-conference workshops. Supporting these events is an important part of helping develop professional standards, share knowledge, and encourage collaboration across the marine mammal sector.
The workshop programme once again provided an excellent start to the week, with practical sessions and lively discussions covering a wide range of current topics. It was fantastic to see such strong engagement from attendees and a real appetite for innovation and cooperation across the industry.
Throughout the main conference, delegates were treated to an impressive range of talks and poster sessions. Subjects ranged from monitoring methods and mitigation to species ecology, offshore industry developments and conservation science. One particularly interesting takeaway was the growing application of Hg isotope analysis, demonstrating how mercury isotopes can provide valuable insights into marine food webs, contaminant pathways and cetacean ecology.
The poster sessions were, as ever, a highlight of the conference. Among the many excellent displays was a fascinating poster presenting new records and spatial insights into the distribution of Gervais’ beaked whale in the Eastern North Atlantic, showcasing how observer data and opportunistic sightings continue to improve our understanding of elusive offshore species. Another eye-catching poster explored the POSEIDON project, generating strong interest and discussion among delegates.
Of course, ECS is not only about the science. The social side of the conference was equally enjoyable, with plenty of opportunities to catch up with friends and make new contacts. A particular highlight was film night hosted by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT), which was a fantastic evening and a great way to celebrate storytelling, outreach and the marine mammal community spirit.
And no Dundee conference review would be complete without mentioning the refreshments, the Loch Lomond beers were absolutely ace and certainly well appreciated after long days of talks and networking!
A huge thank you goes to the organisers, volunteers, speakers and everyone who contributed to making ECS 2026 such a success. Dundee was a superb host city, and the MMOA leaves this year’s conference with fresh ideas, renewed enthusiasm, and exciting new connections for the future.
We look forward to seeing everyone again next year.
