Ocean Alliance

Ocean Alliance Conserving whales and our ocean through research and education since 1970
http://www.whale.org

Ocean Alliance, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization, was founded in 1971 by biologist Roger Payne. Led by Dr. Payne and CEO, Iain Kerr, Ocean Alliance collects a broad spectrum of data on whales and ocean life relating particularly to toxicology, behavior, bioacoustics, and genetics. From that data we work with our scientific partners to advise educators and policy makers on wise stewardship of the ocean

s to: reduce pollution, prevent the collapse of marine mammal populations, maintain human access to fish and other sea life, and promote ocean and human health. Ocean Alliance is concerned with the conservation of whales and all sea life, as well as human impacts on the marine environment. Through the Ocean Alliance program the Voyage of the Odyssey, we were able to focus on measuring the concentrations of synthetic contaminants that adversely affect the world’s oceans and its marine species. Ocean Alliance is also working to reverse humanity’s general apathy about the fundamental importance of the oceans and the degree to which the future of all life on earth is dependent upon them.

The whale population off Scotland has been hopping this summer, with sightings off the charts! Locals have been calling ...
08/31/2026

The whale population off Scotland has been hopping this summer, with sightings off the charts! Locals have been calling the Scottish seas "cetacean soup" as they enjoy the frequent appearances of their local whales 🐋

Scottish seas are being dubbed "cetacean soup" after a surge in whale and dolphin sightings.

Summers at Ocean Alliance means innovation is in the air- or, in this case, the whale blow!Working with GMGI, the team e...
08/27/2026

Summers at Ocean Alliance means innovation is in the air- or, in this case, the whale blow!

Working with GMGI, the team established new protocols for on-board sample processing, allowing the samples to be preserved immediately after collection.

Then the summer’s biggest surprise… a 3 mL sample of whale blow! This sample is over double the average sample size from previous collection methods! More sample = more opportunities for analysis = more information about whale health and microbiome!

Permit: NMFS MMPA #28408

08/27/2026

Ever wondered how deep-diving mammals can surface quickly without experiencing the bends? It all comes down to biology!

Read on to learn more -

John Arnott takes a look at why cetaceans don't suffer from the bends

When our scientists are at sea looking for whales, they aren’t just relying on spotting the whales through sight 👀 A fis...
08/26/2026

When our scientists are at sea looking for whales, they aren’t just relying on spotting the whales through sight 👀

A fishy smell can often be a sign of whale breath lingering in the air, or (if the smell is particularly bad) whale f***s (poop!).👃💩

A flock of birds can also give away the position of a whale – some whales herd schools of fish towards the surface to prey on them, and this often presents an opportunity for hungry birds. 🐤

Sound is a big one! The sound of a whale breathing at the surface can be heard from a great distance. When studying blue whales in Mexico, our team have heard blue whales breathing from over a mile away! 🔊

Tag ahoy!   🐋Permit: SPARN/DGVS/02075/23
08/25/2026

Tag ahoy!

🐋

Permit: SPARN/DGVS/02075/23

🫢🐙
08/25/2026

🫢🐙

High-stakes sea drama caught on camera. https://www.mba.ac.uk/octopus-bloom-providing-a-feast-for-devons-rissos-dolphins/

The South West octopus bloom continues! 🐙💥 Check out this incredible sequence captured off Berry Head, Devon, showing a Risso’s dolphin taking on a plentiful octopus dinner.

Risso's dolphins are famous squid, cuttlefish and octopus specialists. Researchers at the University of Exeter's Risso's Dolphin Project are describing how Risso's sightings are increasing across the South-West. This work aligns with exciting new research, including Nicola Hodgins’ recent genetic paper published in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association (JMBA) this month, shedding even more light on these fascinating animals and their marine habitat.

📸Bill Coulson (Volunteer, Risso’s Dolphin Project South-West)

Risso's Dolphin Project University of Exeter ExeterMarine

Multiple species of great whales have moved into the waters off Greenland to participate in "feeding frenzies" in previo...
08/20/2026

Multiple species of great whales have moved into the waters off Greenland to participate in "feeding frenzies" in previously inaccessible areas!

Read on to learn more -

Melting sea ice from climate change has opened up the region for giant whales to undertake "feeding frenzies".

It’s time for a game! Who said it?! Is it a quote from “The Odyssey” film, or a quote from one of our Voyage of the Odys...
08/20/2026

It’s time for a game!

Who said it?! Is it a quote from “The Odyssey” film, or a quote from one of our Voyage of the Odyssey blogs from the early 2000s?

Want to play along? Comment A/B to lock in your guess for each quote before scrolling to discover if your knowledge rivals Odysseus 🤔💭

08/19/2026

Shout out to our partner organization Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas for their recent feature in Popular Science!

Photographs from citizen scientists and whale watchers help identify the cetaceans off the coast of Patagonia.

What do whales have to do with Albert Einstein? More than you think… Read on to learn more in this new study based in ou...
08/18/2026

What do whales have to do with Albert Einstein? More than you think… Read on to learn more in this new study based in our ocean backyard off Provincetown!

Researchers noticed a wave-interference effect that makes sound energy appear to outrun fundamental limits without breaking physics. Their findings could improve whale tracking.

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32 Horton St
Gloucester, MA
01930

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+19782812814

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