Looking out of the window of Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (CBMWC), you might be lucky to see a Bottlenose Dolphin in the bay, a common sight along this stretch of the Welsh coastline.

Located in the heart of New Quay in West Wales, CBMWC is a hub of marine research and education. It was founded by Steve Hartley in 1996 to raise awareness of Cardigan Bay’s marine wildlife, including the UK’s largest population of Bottlenose Dolphins, and became part of The Wildlife Trust of South and Wales in 2015.

The visitor centre is open to the public from April to October with a range of interactive displays showcasing the variety of marine wildlife found in Cardigan Bay. The building also hosts an office with a team of staff and volunteers, all dedicated to protecting marine wildlife.

Steve Hartley is still involved with CBMWC today, and through his eco-tourism business, Dolphin Survey Boat Trips, supports the centre with its research.

30 years of pioneering research

Research and monitoring have always been a fundamental part of CBMWC’s work. From deepening our understanding of dolphins to discovering new species, the research team have made some exciting breakthroughs.

If you’ve ever visited the seaside town, you might have spotted volunteers on New Quay’s harbour wall with clipboards and binoculars in hand. Over the last 30 years, they have spent over 35,840 hours recording dolphins, porpoise and seals from land, noting their behaviour and interactions with boats and people. This data has helped to inform important marine codes in Cardigan Bay, to better protect marine life from being disturbed.

While out on the water, over 4330 boat-based surveys have been conducted, collecting important sightings, acoustic and photo-ID data. By capturing detailed photographs of the unique markings on a dolphin’s dorsal fin, the team can match up these to individuals in the database. Each year thousands of images are captured and processed and around 40,000 images are identified against 300 individuals in the database. Photo-ID gives incredible insight into the social structures and movements of Cardigan Bay’s dolphins. In one notable instance, a well-known dolphin named Topnotch was photographed 175km apart in under 48 hours, providing valuable data on just how far these animals can travel.

Working with Bristol University the CBMWC research team have also undertaken some ground-breaking acoustic research. They were the first to record Bottlenose Dolphin bray calls in Cardigan Bay. These calls, which sound like the bray of a donkey, are thought to aid foraging and potentially play a role in social communication. They have also recorded unique signature whistles, the acoustic equivalent of a human name. When dolphins meet, they broadcast their signature whistles to identify themselves and announce their presence, enabling them to communicate and maintain complex social relationships. The team have now built a catalogue of signature whistles and have managed to match to whistles to individuals in their photo-ID database.

And it’s not all about marine mammals. In 2025, underwater cameras deployed by the team as part a project investigating marine diversity in Cardigan Bay captured a critically endangered Angelshark. This is the first time this rare shark had been captured on film in Cardigan Bay since 2021. In 2023, a volunteer, the late Professor Emeritus Brent Wilson, described a species new to science. This species of foraminifera - a small, single celled, shelled creature – was an exciting find.

30 years of inspiring and educating people

The centre has also had a huge impact on people over the last 30 years – welcoming over 364,318 visitors through its doors. Over 1000 people have volunteered at the centre, logging over 200,000 hours. Volunteers are an essential part of the centre – helping with marine mammal research, running the visitor centre and assisting with engagement events. These opportunities provide essential experience and training for early-career conservationists, and have kickstarted many careers in conservation. The centre has also created a community for local wildlife lovers, connecting different generations who share in their passion for protecting marine life. The team have also been sure to take marine life to the masses, attending events and schools across the country to inspire action for our oceans.

30 years of protecting marine life in Cardigan Bay

To mark the 30th anniversary, The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales are asking for donations to help them raise £30,000 to continue their marine conservation research and education work in Cardigan Bay.

Dolphins can live for up to 50 years, meaning there are dolphins alive today that could have been spotted in Cardigan Bay when centre was first started. The Wildlife Trust wants to ensure these individuals and future generations of Bottlenose Dolphins can continue to be protected in Cardigan Bay.