Main research areas  

The School of Sea promotes and conducts research projects (fundamental and applied) and different types of technical projects. The two main areas of work are the biology and history, and within these, the scientific areas are biology, marine biology, marine mammals, history, history of science and archaeology. These areas have their own characteristics but are interlinked in many ways, and so this initiative is especially notable for its interdisciplinary approach. So,we have curricula and a group of researchers available to conduct investigation on cetaceans abundance and monitoring, human impacts on marine mammals populations, cetaceans ecology, behavior and conservation, and marine historical ecology and environmental history. Our expertise focuses on European and African waters.

Previous projects:
Monitoring of cetaceans within the project environmental monitoring of the Aguçadoura wave park; project contracted by the Institute of Oceanography, Faculty of Sciences of Lisbon (2007 - 2010).
Study of whaling in the Portuguese archipelago of Cape Verde; project hired by Dr. Tim Smith, History of Marine Animal Populations (2006-2007).

Research projects
Cetaceans of Portugal: Past, present and future
This is a scientific research project on the biology and occurrence of cetacean species in the Portuguese mainland. The aim of the project is to carry out visual surveys for the detection of groups of cetaceans, their occurrence and distribution preferences in the central area of Portuguese mainland coast. Objectives are to determine species of greatest abundance and diversity in the Portuguese coast as well as those facing greater dangers as a result of human actions, especially those that are often a by-catch in many fishing gears. Besides, this project addresses some behavioural and social aspects of oceanic cetaceans along the coastline. The occurrence of common dolphins in Sesimbra - from hunting to the historic preservation - is one aspect that is part of this interdisciplinary project that aims to join the field of the history of biology.

Marine mammals in the Atlantic maritime journeys from the 15th to the 17th century: Evolution of Science and knowledge
PhD project by Cristina Brito at CHAM (www.cham.fcsh.unl.pt)
Marine mammals are an animal group that can be used as a paradigmatic example for the history of science and for the history of natural history, both in Portugal and the Atlantic. Although being aquatic mammals living in an intimidating environment, they are big animals that need to come to the surface to breathe and have always motivated interests and raised questions throughout different human cultures around the world. In Mainland Portugal first references to marine mammals were found since the 12th century, through stranding records or whaling related activities registers in several coastal regions. In Portugal together with the Basque Country, the renowned place of birth of occidental whaling, an important whaling culture developed. These whaling activities and its techniques moved towards the Atlantic along with the oceanic Portuguese journeys since the 15th and 16th centuries. Also, other Atlantic records were made and descriptions were perpetuated through the exploration of the big and unknown Sea Ocean, first along the occidental African coast and the Atlantic islands and then across the ocean reaching the coast of Brazil during the 17th century. These narratives are particularly rich in terms of zoological descriptions and marine animal classifications, disciplines which were only recognized as so since the 18th century. The formal concept of Atlantic Naturalism, considered in this work, arose in a time of minds opening and new mental conceptions in parallel with the Encyclopedic Naturalism that resulted from the Renascence scientific and cultural movements. Nevertheless, there were few influences or connections between these two lines of natural science and they only cross each other very briefly. This may indicate that the Atlantic natural science had none or little expression in that period, probably as a result of few printed editions, the use of Portuguese instead of Latin or a poor dissemination of the knowledge. However, studying the historical sources and analyzing specifically the occurrence of whales, dolphins, seals, manatees and other big marine animals, we conclude that from the Portuguese Overseas relevant contributions to the formation and evolution of marine natural history came to light, in a context of scientific revolution and globalization of ideas and concepts.

Other projects

Beyond the surface
This is a project of scientific and environmental devoted entirely to the sea, the marine ecosystem and the large animals that inhabit it. Particular emphasis is given to the biology of cetaceans - whales and dolphins - but will also address the biology and conservation of other animals representative of marine ecosystems and oceanic sharks and rays, sea turtles and seabirds. This project had its beginning in 2006 and will continue until the end of 2010. As part of this project will be lectures, practical workshops, courses and other activities to disseminate scientific and environmental geared to different age groups and various school levels. Activities will be developed with scientific research trips to sea for observation and identification of species of dolphins in some coastal areas of Portugal. The study will be done on the historical occurrence and distribution of cetaceans in the Atlantic based on data from whaling in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with its collection of data in libraries and archives, scientific analysis of data collected, study and publication of scientific data analysis. Prospects are still producing and disseminating educational materials such as books, brochures and others, to hold exhibitions and photographic arts and the holding of an international congress on the biology and history of the sea.

Above and under the surface
This is a project for the dissemination and environmental education with the main purpose alerting coastal populations, particularly of Sesimbra and Lisbon, to the marine environment that surrounds them. Aspects of marine fauna are discussed, going from seabirds to large top predators such as dolphins and sharks. The main activities are resorting to the use of interactive toys, games and worksheets. Boat trips are done with children and young people. This project had the financial support of Project AWARE Foundation.

Cetaceans of Sesimbra
This project is part of the research activities of the School of Sea, and has as main objective to make known which species of cetaceans that occur off Sesimbra. So far were observed common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, striped dolphin and minke whale.