Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is a cost-effective method of gathering big data for monitoring the distribution of cetaceans 1,2 , yielding important insights into occurrence, movements, and behaviour over space and time, for use in species conservation and habitat management 3,4,5,6,7 . Dolphins are an indicator species, common to the British Isles, with the status and health of regional populations acting as important metrics for conservation and in assessing ecosystem health 8,9 .