About us

Intelligent Ocean Ltd.

Intelligent Ocean Ltd, founded by Alison Gill, is a training and consultancy company dealing with marine mammal mitigation during offshore operations. We believe in offering training courses at affordable prices so that students, researchers and freelance consultants can all have access to professional training. We also believe in promoting awareness training for supervisors managing teams working with marine mammal mitigation and our prices reflect our encouragement of this practice.

 Intelligent Ocean offers Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) Training – a requirement for personnel employed to implement mitigation measures to protect marine mammals during offshore operations such as seismic surveys, pile driving for offshore wind farms and tidal turbines, and during decommissioning projects using explosives. This qualification is required for all UK waters.

pod of dolphins
JNCCL Logo

Alison Gill was approved by the JNCC on 18th March 2009 as a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) Trainer.

 Intelligent Ocean also offers Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)/ Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) – Gulf of Mexico Protected Species Observer (PSO) Training. This is a requirement for personnel employed to implement mitigation measures to protect marine mammals during seismic surveys in the Gulf of Mexico, USA. 

 In addition Intelligent Ocean offers Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) and PAMGUARD Software Training to introduce the MMO or other interested parties to the theory and practical applications of this method to detect marine mammals. This course was recognised as an accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Course by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST.org) on the 21st June 2021.

BSEE Logo

Alison Gill was approved by the BOEM/BSEE on the 2nd August 2010 as a Protected Species Observer (PSO) Trainer

cpd

Intelligent Ocean trains personnel from all around the world and is well established as a trusted training provider in the field of marine mammal mitigation.

Trained for JNCC MMO

Trained for PAM

Trained for BOEM PSO

Alison Gill

B.Sc., M.Sc. – JNCC and BOEM/BSEE Approved Trainer

Experience:
Ten years working as a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) and Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Operator in the North Sea (UK), Shetlands/Faeroes, Bay of Biscay, Gulf of Mexico (USA), Canada, Greenland, Angola, Gabon, Mozambique, Madagascar, Nicaragua, Ivory Coast and Libya.

Two years experience of running an MMO agency (Marine Team Offshore Ltd. ) coordinating groups of MMOs and PAM operators.

 

Co-founder of the Marine Mammal Observer Association (MMOA) www.mmo-association.org

Fourteen years experience as a marine mammal researcher and naturalist guide in the Hebrides, South Africa, Canaries, Gibraltar, Iceland, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Antarctic Peninsula, Canada and USA.

M.Sc. Degree in Marine & Fisheries Science – Aberdeen University (1993-1994) and B.Sc. Degree in Animal Sciences – Wye College, London University (1987-1991)

Presentations

"The MMO Perspective - what role do MMOs play."

The Sound and Marine Life Joint Industry Programme (JIP)- Project to investigate the potential utilisation of Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) data. Workshop held in Oxford – September 27th 2007

"The MMO Perspective"

Passive Acoustics for Monitoring Marine Mammals at Sea: PAMGUARD Conference and Workshops, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh 28th-29th March 2007

Terry Cross

B.Sc., Logistics Coordinator

Experience:

Nine years working as a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) and Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Operator in the North Sea (UK), Shetlands/Faeroes, India, Gulf of Mexico (USA), West Florida (USA), Greenland, Angola, Gabon, Mozambique, Madagascar, Nicaragua, Ivory Coast and Libya.

Two years experience as a volunteer on several marine mammal projects.

B.Sc. Degree in Marine Biology – Bangor University (1999-2003).

Publications and Reports

Weir, C.R., Collins, T., Cross, T., Gill, A., Elwen, S., Unwin, M. and Parnell, R.J. (2013) ‘False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) sightings in continental shelf habitat off Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire (Africa)’, Marine Biodiversity Records, 6. doi: 10.1017/S1755267213000389.

Gill, A. and Evans, P.G.H. 2002. Marine mammals of the Antarctic in relation to hydro-acoustic activities. Commissioned by Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN), Bonn Germany.

Macleod, K., Fairbairns, R.S., Gill, A., Fairbairns, B.R., Gordon, J., Blair-Myers, C. 2001.  Spatial and temporal distribution of the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in relation to undersea topography and seabed sediment off the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Paper SC/53/E10 submitted to the IWC Scientific Committee 2001.

Gill, A., Reid, R.J., Fairbairns, B.R. 2000. Photographic and strandings data highlighting the problem of marine debris and creel rope entanglement to minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and other marine life in Scottish Waters. European Research on Cetaceans 14. (ed. P.G.H. Evans & E.C.M. Parsons). Cork: European Cetacean Society.

Gill, A., Fairbairns, B.R., Fairbairns, R.S. 2000. Photo-identification of the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) around the Isle of Mull, Scotland. An update. Unpublished Report for Sea Life Surveys and the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust.

Gordon, J.C.D, Leaper, R., Gill, A. 1999. Fine-scale tracking of whale movements using photo/videogrammetric methods.  Paper SC/M99/SOWER25 submitted to the IWC Scientific Committee at the SOWER2000 Workshop, Edinburgh 1999.

Rendell, L.E., Matthews, J.N., Gill, A., Gordon, J.C.D. and Macdonald, D.W. 1999. Quantitative analysis of tonal calls from five odontocete species, examining interspecific and intraspecific variation. J. Zool. Lond. 249: 403-410.

Gill, A, Fairbairns, B.R. and Fairbairns, R.S. 1999. Some observations of minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) feeding behaviour and associations with seabirds in the coastal waters of the Isle of Mull, Scotland. European Research on Cetaceans 13. (ed. P.G.H. Evans & E.C.M. Parsons). Valencia: European Cetacean Society.

Benoldi, C., Gill, A., Evans, P.G.H., Manghi, M., Pavan, G. and Priano, M. 1998. Comparison between Risso’s dolphin vocal behaviour in Scottish waters and in the Mediterranean Sea. In European Research on Cetaceans 12 (ed. P.G.H. Evans & E.C.M. Parsons), pp. 109-111. Lisbon: European Cetacean Society.

Gill, A., Atkinson, T. and Evans, P.G.H. 1997. Cetacean sightings off the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. In European Research on Cetaceans 11 (ed. P.G.H. Evans, E.C.M. Parsons & S.L. Clark), pp. 109-111. Kiel: European Cetacean Society.

Atkinson, T., Gill, A. and Evans, P.G.H. 1997. A photo-identification study of Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) in the coastal waters of the Eye Peninsula, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. In European Research on Cetaceans 11 (ed. P.G.H. Evans, E.C.M. Parsons & S.L. Clark), pp. 170. Kiel: European Cetacean Society.

Gill, A. Investigating the feasibility of a long-term ecological study of the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) on the West Coast of Scotland. Report to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, Mull. 43pp.

Gill, A. and Atkinson, T. 1996. Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) in the coastal waters around the Eye Peninsula, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Report to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. 49pp.

Gill, A. 1996. Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) in the coastal waters around the Eye Peninsula, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Report to the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland. 25pp.

Gill, A. and Fairbairns, R. 1996. Photo-identification of the Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata off the Isle of Mull, Scotland, UK. In European Research on Cetaceans 9 (ed. P.G.H. Evans & H. Nice), pp. 129-131. Kiel: European Cetacean Society.

Gill, A. 1995. Analysis of data collected from observations of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Clyde Estuary, Glasgow. Report to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. 30pp.

Gill, A. and Fairbairns, R. 1995. Photo-Identification of the Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata off the Isle of Mull, Scotland. In Whales, Seals, Fish and Man (ed. A.S. Blix, L.Walloe and O. Ulltand), pp. 129-132. Elsevier Science, Netherlands.

Gill, A. 1994. The photo-identification of the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) off the Isle of Mull, Scotland. MSc Thesis. Aberdeen University. 67pp.

Gill, A., Sargent, T. and Fairbairns, R. 1994. Range tracking of the Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, off the Isle of Mull 1994. Report to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust. 52pp.

 

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Intelligent Ocean's privacy policy regarding personal data held in order to provide training services can be downloaded at the link below. By purchasing our training services you agree to this policy.

Intelligent Ocean's Privacy Policy can be downloaded here.

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You will have access to the courses you have purchased for 12 months from the date of purchase. You will be able to have further access after the 12 months on payment of a renewal fee.

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Trainees must be able to speak, read and write fluently in English.

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PAM ELearning Course

For PAM training each trainee will be required to use a PC computer. Please note that MAC computers tablets and mobile phones are not  suitable for the PAM course. The course material and practical exercises will assume that you have a PC and the commands will be written for PCs using windows.

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Satisfactory Completion of Course

Modifications to Terms and Conditions

We may modify these terms and conditions at any time by publishing the modified terms and conditions on the website.

Updates by Regulators

INTELLIGENT OCEAN LTD cannot be held responsible for any government regulator upgrading training requirements in the future which will result in personnel having to attend further training to upgrade their current certificate.