MCR was set up in 2009 to manage and operate the RV Song of the Whale, which was commissioned, and is owned by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) .  Several members of the MCR team worked previously on Song of the Whale for IFAW.

Information on IFAW/Song of the Whale team projects is available at www.ifaw.org/sotw

Our team is led by Richard McLanaghan and Anna Moscrop, both of whom have many years experience in marine and cetacean conservation and research and outreach activities for a range of organisations; most recently, both worked for over 15 years for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

Working with a wide range of collaborators and partners
including Government departments and intergovernmental agreements, NGO’s and academic institutions in over 25 different countries, specialised techniques, software and equipment were developed and used for the study of cetaceans, including porpoises, sperm whales, North Atlantic right whales, and other threatened marine species including monk seals and
basking sharks.

MCR – Song of the Whale Team members

Anna Moscrop – MCR Director.  Before joining IFAW in 1994, Anna worked as a consultant researcher for organisations including Greenpeace, WDCS and several universities. She has a background in marine biology and conservation and expertise in a range of cetacean conservation issues, including noise pollution and marine habitat degradation. She has been overseeing SOTW projects since 1998 and has many years of experience of working offshore as well as project & team management.

Richard McLanaghan – MCR Director.  Richard is the Senior Skipper and Operations Director of the research vessel. He has a background in electronics and computer programming. He has been running Song of the Whale since 1992 and oversaw the design and build of the current research vessel.

Dr Oliver Boisseau – Senior Researcher. Olly has a PhD from the University of Auckland and over ten years experience of cetacean related field work and data analysis. He joined the SOTW team full time in 2004 and has been involved with MCR since its inception.

Anna Cucknell – Researcher.  Anna joined the MCR team at the beginning of April. Anna has previously worked on cetaceans off the east coast of the USA, Sardinia, and Australia and has a Masters degree in Marine Environmental Protection from Bangor. In 2008 she returned to the UK and started work with an environmental consultancy on acoustic impact assessments for oil, gas and wind farm constructions as well as working as a Marine Mammal Observer and Passive Acoustic Monitoring operative.  Anna originally joined the team on a temporary basis for the 2010 beaked whale survey off Ireland and Scotland.

Mat Jerram – Engineer and First Mate. Mat joined the SOTW team in May 2007 as the boat’s engineer. As well as formal qualifications in marine engineering, Mat has extensive experience in refitting and maintaining boats and has worked in Greece, Cote d’Azure, Australia and Scotland on various projects. Mat also worked as a ski instructor in premiere resorts in Europe and the USA before joining SOTW.

Dr Tim Lewis – Senior Researcher. Tim first volunteered on Song of the Whale in 1993, and has been working full time with the team since 1999. He has a background in geophysics, computer science and wildlife management. Tim works with the MCR team as well as undertaking various independent consultancy contracts such as PAM surveys and mitigation for wind farm developments

Jim Compton – Relief Skipper. Jim has been skippering boats across the globe for over 17 years.  He has previously sailed on both the original Song of the Whale and the current boat for short delivery trips but joined the team as skipper for the first time for the beaked whale survey last year.  His stories of being at sea include sightings of most marine mammals but still hoping and waiting to see his first blue whale.

Edd Hewett – Second Mate. Edd grew up in landlocked Chesham in Buckinghamshire, almost as far away from the sea you can get in Britain, however first went sailing two years ago and loved it.  He is now a qualified Commercial Yachtmaster and spends as much of his time as possible out on the ocean.  Edd saw his first whale during the beaked whale survey in the autumn and is looking forward to his next whale encounters.

Jo Royle – Mate. Jo  joined the MCR team for the 2011 Cape Farewell Scottish Islands Expedition.  Jo first sailed on SOTW in Iceland in 2004.  Since then she has combined interests in short handed ocean racing and environmental ocean advocacy.  Jo has sailed as skipper or crew on vessels as diverse as an expedition yacht in the Southern Ocean and Volvo 60’s across the Atlantic.   Most recently Jo skippered the Plastiki, a vessel designed and built largely of used plastic bottles to showcase sustainable boat building from San Francisco to Sydney.  Jo has recently completed an MSc in Environmental Science and Society at the University College London.