Project

Ethical Review (Field work)

If you are undertaking a project with animals you will need to include a review of any ethical
considerations. Below find some pointers regarding ethical considerations before you undertake your
experimentation, depending on circumstances you may need to edit my list of factors. You will need to
put the points of this ethical review into your method section.

Factor
Will your experiment directly
endanger the subjects chance of
survival?

Do you need to move them from

their habitat?

Will you be able to return them to

their original place?
Is it necessary to return to exact
spot?
Will your experiment impact the
survival of non-target species?
Are any of the species you are
working with rare or endangered?

Consideration / Response

Unfortunately due to the nature of this survey

many individual species (ascidians & sponges) will
be directly affected due to removal from the water
on a regular basis Many of these individuals will
survive for a couple of hours out of water
however.
As this experiment is a sessile settlement panel
survey the individuals may occasionally be
removed from the panel for identification
purposes.
Due to their sessile nature this is not possible
however; when possible other habitats will be
found for them.
Yes it is because the survey is taking place at 3
fixed locations around the Fal estuary.
There will be little impact to non-target species
besides the odd crustacean or amphipod hunting
on the panels.
N/a

Covered by legislation?

N/a

Will the experiment reduce the

organisms opportunities to feed?

Only when panels are out of water which will be a

maximum of 30 minutes per week.

Will they be subject to higher

levels of desiccation than normal?

Only when removed from the water for 30 minutes

max. With prolonged analysis organisms will be
kept in a tray of seawater taken straight from their
original environment. Any movement of species
will
N/a

Will they be more likely to be

preyed upon following the
experiment?
Will you need to retain any
specimens for identification
purposes?
(if so will you need a separate
review for them?)
Will you need to hold them in a
container for any period of time?

At the start of April 2013 a few panels will be

submerged in a box of seawater and taken to the
marine school or microscopic/lab analysis.

If so can they be safely kept with

other individuals?

Yes

Only when transporting to the lab at the start of

April 2013

Appropriate conditions/water
quality in that container?

Does your experiment cause pain?

Water will be taken straight from organisms place

of origin and will be adequately filtered and
monitored when kept in lab conditions.
Unfortunately so, however, most of the species
being targeted are invertebrates besides the
ascidians that are classed as vertebrates only
because of the presence of a notochord when in
juvenile stages. Species which are affected by this
survey are simple life forms i.e. sponges and
cnidarians. Although little is known about how
much stress this survey would have on these
individuals.
Possibly see above.

What signs of pain do your

organisms exhibit?

Ascidians dont have any obvious stressor signs

besides retreat of their siphons when out of water

Does your experiment cause

stress?