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Do Not Disturb

Be Wildlife Safe or WiSE

What is WiSe?

The UK-wide standard for watching marine wildlife
The WiSe Scheme (Wildlife Safe) is a training course primarily aimed at commercial operators of passenger pleasure craft, wildlife tours, dive boats, charter yachts, sea kayakers, coasteering, SUP’ers and wild swimmers, who are the most likely people to come into contact with marine wildlife as they are out on the water on a regular basis.

WiSe Membership

There are four levels of WiSe membership:

  • Standard WiSe Membership is the professional standard training course offered by the WiSe Scheme for boat operators.
    WiSe members commit to abide by not only national and local laws on wildlife conservation and disturbance avoidance, but also the WiSe Codes of Conduct, in addition to any local wildlife-watching codes. Approval lasts for 3 years, when the operator should apply to attend a refresher course, or alternatively the operator can attend a Master Class and upgrade their membership level. This training course involve 4 to 5 hours interactive, classroom-based training or attending an online course of similar duration run over two nights. WiSe Standard course members are provided with:
    • A full set of course materials .
    • An Adventure WiSe craft sticker
    • Use of the Adventure WiSe logo for
      their promotional materials or website.
    • Inclusion on the WiSe Scheme website.
  • Adventure WiSe membership, is aimed at commercial operators and practitioners of coastal zone activities such as sea kayaking, stand up paddleboarding and coasteering. Training consists of a part classroom and part practical course or a 4–5 hour online course delivered over two nights. Adventure WiSe course members are provided:
    • A full set of course materials
    • A Standard WiSe boat sticker and flag, for
      use when the accredited skipper is directing
      the boat
    • Use of the WiSe logo for their promotional
      brochures or website.
    • Inclusion on the WiSe Scheme website.
  • Master WiSe membership is the professional standard ‘plus’ – the Gold standard of WiSe membership. Pre-requisites – to achieve Master status, the boat operator usually needs to have: Attended a Standard or Adventure WiSe course in the last 3 years Attended a WiSe Master course – a one day workshop to refresh skills and gain new knowledge
    Master WiSe members receive all the benefits of standard WiSe membership, plus:
    • Have their Master status acknowledged on
      the WiSe Scheme public web site.
    • Use of the WiSe Master logo for their
      promotional brochures, websites and an
      upgraded sticker.
  • WiSe Affiliate membership is aimed at anyone interested in minimising their disturbance on marine wildlife whilst on the water. For example: students, marine guides, wildlife rescuers, sailing club members, and other interested members of the general public. Instruction is through attending an online or in person training course of approximately one hours duration presented by a WiSe Instructor.
Visit the WiSe website for more information

Get training

If you are interested in WiSe training in the Strangford and Lecale AONB, or Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Geopark, please get in touch.