26 June 2025: My time at NAMMCO

Background

After completing my master’s in marine biology at Bangor University, where I focused on the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins, I spent a year working on coral restoration and turtle identification projects in Indonesia and Thailand. While I really enjoyed the diving and fieldwork, I was keen to return to marine mammals. When I came across the internship at NAMMCO, it felt like a great opportunity to combine my scientific background with practical experience in conservation and management.

About my internship

From the beginning, I was involved in a wide range of tasks. One of the first highlights was attending the Working Group on Genetics meeting in Copenhagen. With a background in both microbiology and marine biology, this was a particularly interesting experience. It was fascinating to see how the two fields come together in marine mammal research and to learn more about the variety of projects being carried out across the North Atlantic.

Another major highlight was organising the 7th Annual Marine Mammal Student Symposium in Tromsø. This was my first time organising an event like this, which made it a great learning experience. It was incredibly rewarding to help bring everything together and to create a space where students and professionals could connect and exchange ideas.

I also supported the preparations for the Marine Mammal Welfare Workshop, at which I gave a presentation summarising data from 12 countries. This event gave me the opportunity to meet experts from across the NAMMCO member countries and beyond. It was eye-opening to learn more about the different marine mammal hunting methods used in various regions and to hear diverse perspectives on animal welfare and management.

NAMMCO also held its Scientific Committee meeting and Annual Meeting in Tromsø during my internship, where I helped with preparations and logistics. It was a great opportunity to see the decision-making processes in action and to observe how scientific findings are translated into management discussions.

Alongside these larger events, I contributed to NAMMCO’s communications, reviewed website content, helped update species pages, and created content for the organisation’s social media outreach.

Challenges
Adjusting from a flexible student and fieldwork lifestyle to a more structured office routine took a bit of getting used to. The dark winter months were another new experience. But with the help of a daylight lamp, supportive colleagues, and a steady supply of hot chocolate, I found my rhythm.

Life in Tromsø
Outside of work, I took the opportunity to explore the Tromsø area. Seeing orcas in the wild was an unforgettable moment, and road trips to Senja and Lofoten were definitely highlights. I also enjoyed the many hiking options nearby, and of course, witnessing the northern lights was just as magical as I had hoped.

Learn more about the internship here