Ballina residents are being encouraged to take part in one of Australia’s longest-running citizen science projects with the 27th annual ORRCA Whale Census taking place on Sunday.

The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) is calling on Ballina locals to sign up and help record whale sightings.

ORRCA Vice President Pip Jacobs said the census had been running for 27 years and provided valuable information about whale movements along the Australian coastline.

“We bring together volunteers along the coast to record whale sightings and behaviours during the annual humpback whale migration,” Ms Jacobs said.

Volunteers can take part from any safe vantage point with a good ocean view from dusk to dawn.

ORRCA will have marine experts stationed at official census sites in Byron Bay and Evans Head, but Ballina residents are encouraged to register and conduct counts from their own chosen locations.

Sign up ahead of Sunday’s count

You need to sign up to count ahead of Sunday on the ORRCA census page.

“Last year, we had 6,000 sightings of humpback whales on census day,” Ms Jacobs said.

“But we’re not just recording the number of whales. We also collect supplementary data, including behaviours and group composition.

“We want to know how many calves are coming through and where they are travelling along the coastline, as well as their direction of travel and distance from shore. We’re building a snapshot of the migration at the same time every year.”

Video and photos of whales also wanted

Ms Jacobs is also encouraging whale watchers to take photographs and videos that can be uploaded through the ORRCA census app.

“On our app, you also have the ability to send in three photos or videos. We particularly like to see anything that might be a little unusual or interesting,” she said.

“You might sight whales that are not humpback whales. You may see southern right whales, minke whales or Bryde’s whales.

“When you register for the census, you’ll receive an information pack with details about the different species and behaviours to look out for, including identification tips for some of the less common species.”

As well as the official census sites at Byron Bay and Evans Head, there will be 22 other sites operating across New South Wales.

Last year, ORRCA received whale counts from 159 additional vantage points, highlighting the important role citizen scientists play in monitoring the annual migration.

MAIN PHOTO Sharyn Coffee/ORRCA