Ocean Science Consulting Launches Publishing House with Updated MMO Handbook

15 September 2026
Edited By: Haley McQueen

Ocean Science Consulting Ltd. (OSC) officially launched OSC Publishing House®, a dedicated publishing division established to advance knowledge sharing across the marine, environmental, and offshore sectors. The imprint debuts with its flagship title, the Marine Mammal Observer and Passive Acoustic Monitoring Handbook II.

(Image credit: OSC)

Authored by OSC Co-Founders Dr. Victoria L.G. Todd and Ian B. Todd, this landmark second edition is published 11 years after the release of the original handbook. Substantially expanded and revised extensively, the new volume captures more than a decade of technological innovation, developments in offshore operations, and changes to international legislation, guidance, and regulatory frameworks. It provides practitioners with a comprehensive and up-to-date reference for marine mammal observation and passive acoustic monitoring in today’s rapidly evolving marine industry.

Dr. Victoria L.G. Todd, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Ocean Science Consulting, said: “When we published the first edition over a decade ago, our goal was to establish a clear, standardized benchmark for offshore marine mammal mitigation.

“The offshore sector has transformed rapidly since then with new detection tools like FLIR, SONAR, and drones, alongside emerging sectors like floating wind and deep-sea mining. We expanded this edition to 524 pages to give observers, operators, and regulators an exhaustive, practical manual built on real-world field experience.

“Launching OSC Publishing House gives us the independence to publish dedicated marine science literature, and we are thrilled that our November 2026 training attendees will be the very first in the world to receive an author-signed first edition.”

The Handbook remains the definitive resource for marine mammal observers (MMOs), passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) operators, environmental leads, and regulatory agencies, and key additions include:

Expanded coverage of Forward-Looking InfraRed (FLIR), RAdio Detection And Ranging (RADAR), SOund Navigation And Ranging (SONAR), and drone monitoring techniques;
Updated protocols for fixed and floating offshore wind, deep-sea mining, micro-piling, and seismic surveys; and
Step-by-step guidance on PAMGuard software setup, acoustic theory, data collection, and offshore living.

Participants in OSC’s upcoming professional MMO and/or PAM training sessions will be the very first to receive a physical signed copy of the new Handbook, provided free as part of the course registration package. Further course details and registration are available at www.osc.co.uk/training.

Headquartered in Dunbar, Scotland, Ocean Science Consulting is an internationally recognized marine science consultancy specializing in underwater noise, marine fauna mitigation, aquaculture, environmental assessment, and offshore decommissioning studies.

The book has a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of £65 and is available worldwide through Amazon. A limited number of signed editions can be purchased directly from the authors via www.marinemammalobserverhandbook.com. Discounts are available for bulk orders of five or more copies upon request.