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Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) offers a variety of training courses world-wide, designed to give participants hands on skills to feel confident and competent working as an Marine Mammal Observer (MMO), Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Operator, or Protected Species Observer (PSO). OSC now also offers a new half-day certified Seabird Observer training course for those monitoring seabird activity on marine renewables, oil and gas, construction, dredging, survey and other marine projects.
OSC’s course instructors are highly experienced, practised, and active MMOs and PAM Operators who have a wide background in various offshore projects.
OSC is also certified to run New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC)-accredited training courses for MMO and PAM. DOC-accreditation is consistent with standards in the ‘2013 code of conduct for minimising acoustic disturbance to marine mammals from seismic survey operations’ (the Code).
Additionally, OSC is approved to train Taiwanese Cetacean Observers (TCO) by the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCAa) for applicable projects.
OSC’s courses involve responsive personal (including one-to-one) tuition throughout. Please note that our courses are not simply ‘attend-and-pass courses’. In accordance with Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and DOC’s requirements, successful candidates must pass an exam (pass rate of 70% or higher), although we will provide further reassessment procedures for those initially scoring less than the pass rate.
*Courses can be run at any time of year (and in any location), in person or remotely (via Teams) subject to availability of OSC instructors, and sufficient candidate numbers to make a class or for the full-class cost.
Marine Mammal Observer and Passive Acoustic Monitoring Handbook, Second Edition 
PAM, PSO & MMO courses 
PAM Courses 
PSO Courses 
MMO Courses 
Seabird Observer Course 
Course participants will also receive a discount for purchases of Marine Binoculars or Tripod Mounts from Opticron.
All course are capped at a maximum of 10 participants. Prices are exclusive of VAT, which is charged at the current rate. We offer courses at a reduced rate of £770 should participants attend all three (MMO, PAM, and PSO), click here to register.
Please note that should we receive fewer than 5 attendees for any scheduled course, then attendees will be offered the next available date or a refund.
Potential candidates and/or firms unable to attend/send delegates to these courses are welcome to suggest alternative venues and dates anywhere in the world, which will be organised if sufficient interest is generated. Please email admin@osc.co.uk with your company’s requirements.
If you are already a certified MMO/PAM operator and would like to work with OSC, or have worked with us previously, please create an account here to provide us with your contact details and offshore documents. Please ensure you keep your documents and contact details up to date. If you have questions, please get in touch with recruitment@osc.co.uk.
OSC offers JNCC-accredited training courses for MMOs which comply with UK regulations to minimise the risk of injury and disturbance to marine mammals from industrial activities such as piling, geophysical surveys, and explosives.
JNCC guidelines are regarded widely as international best practice, particularly concerning the establishment of observer training and performance standards. OSC’s JNCC-approved MMO course includes lectures, discussion, and practical elements in an intensive one-day training course.
OSC’s one-day JNCC-approved MMO training course will be held in Dunbar, Scotland, UK, for £242 per person. This cost includes provision of a copy of the ‘Marine Mammal Observer and Passive Acoustic Monitoring Handbook’ for each participant. Please note that should we receive fewer than 5 attendees for any scheduled course, then attendees will be offered the next available date or a refund.
OSC offers Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST)-accredited PAM training. PAM Operators (PAMO) are used to supplement MMOs during industrial operations when visual operations are not appropriate, e.g. during hours of darkness, poor visibility, or poor weather conditions. Underwater noise can be processed and analysed in real-time for detection of marine mammals using Passive Acoustic Monitoring Guardianship (PAMGuard).
OSC’s 2.5-day IMarEST-accredited PAM courses are held in Dunbar, Scotland, for £495 per person. These courses involve practical components on use of PAM systems that will either be held between OSC’s warehouse facilities and vessel Orca (weather dependent). Please note that should we receive fewer than 8 attendees, then attendees will be offered the next available date or a refund.
OSC offers PSO training accepted by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). A PSO certificate is required for any observer working within the United States of America (USA) Offshore Continental Shelf (OCAb).
OSC’s half-day PSO course takes place in the morning, prior to the PAM course, and is held in Dunbar, Scotland, for £110 per person (MMO course is prerequisite). Please note that should we receive fewer than 5 attendees for any scheduled course, then attendees will be offered the next available date or a refund.
OSC offers specialist training courses for Seabird Observers working on marine renewables, oil and gas, construction, dredging, survey and other marine projects where monitoring of seabird activity may be required.
Developed and delivered by experienced marine scientists, OSC’s Seabird Observer course covers seabird identification, ecology, monitoring methodologies, survey techniques and reporting requirements. The course includes lectures and discussion in an intensive half-day certified training programme.
OSC’s half-day Seabird Observer training course will be held in Dunbar, Scotland, UK, for £242 per person. This cost includes provision of course materials for each participant. Please note that should we receive fewer than 5 attendees for any scheduled course, then attendees will be offered the next available date or a refund. The course is also offered online for group bookings of 5 and over. Courses may be created as bespoke and localised to particular areas of interest, please contact us to discuss your project specific requirements.
OSC offer dedicated practical training sessions at sea to provide a more comprehensive experience normally for group bookings.
Any customised training package can be organised according to preferences and budget, but standard options are follows:
This is the most economical option. OSC’s instructor and the students can visit the coastline, which is a short drive from our offices. During this session, we will focus on range estimation using binocular reticles, which is a critical skill. This hands-on practice can be arranged for approximately £500 for a maximum group size of four persons for half a day. This practical session could be scheduled on the day following the MMO course, unless candidates have also booked for the PSO and/or PAM course, which is usually run on consecutive day after the MMO course; however, if the coastline training is requested well in advance, our team can reschedule subsequent courses to ensure all the preferred training can be accommodated.
For a more immersive experience, we can arrange training on a boat. There are two options:
This is the most expensive option owing to the time-consuming nature of managing the vessel in addition to conducting the training. Again, this training would typically be restricted to four persons per trip, and two trips could be accommodated in one day.
We can charter a local vessel, which requires sufficient advance notice and payment to secure availability. Based on a group of four students, the cost for this option is estimated to be around £1000 for 3-4 hours, which breaks down to £250 per student.
If any of these options interest you, please let us know, and we can proceed with firming up the costs and making the necessary arrangements.
“Excellent teachers and trainers. They are both so knowledgeable about both marine mammal species but also about the offshore industry which is very useful for the student.” – Siobhan
“For me, the training was really informative. Although I’m a marine scientist, I’ve never actually worked with marine mammals and running through the JNCC guidelines was very helpful to understand the MMO role, which gave me a better understanding of what to expect onboard and how to operate as an MMO offshore. Thank you so much, I learned a lot and feel ready and confident to act as an MMO on vessels.” – Patrica
“There was a lot of information packed into the course, and I really enjoyed the day. I found some parts to be more of a recap, as I have previously covered them (e.g. marine mammal classification), however I’m sure these parts would be really useful for a wider audience, and ensure that people wouldn’t need any prerequisites to attend. I found that running through the JNCC guidelines, and also the various operation types, was most useful, as this helped to put the MMO role into context, and gave me a better understanding of what I will actually be doing on a day-to-day basis offshore. Great instructor, very clear and thorough explanations!” – Katie
