The BICREF Middle Sea Race - Cetacean Sighting and Reporting Project was launched in 2000 with the sponsorship of the Westin Dragonara Resort. This project makes available information packs and sighting forms prepared by BICREF members forwarded to all sailing boats together with pocket cameras sponsored by Fotovision.

Each year the crews of the sailing boats participating in this race take up the challenge to deliever the best set of detailed information and photos of the whales or dolphins encounters during the race. The best crew receives the BICREF-RMSR Award. The crew of the Sailing boat Allegra won the 2004 BICREF Award. Three other boat crews were considered as runners up to this Award: Primadonna, Strait Dealer and Soundsphere.

This year was also special due to the greater number of sightings of dolphins and whales in the Rolex Middle Sea Race's route. This was mostly due to the fine weather the boats found for the first few days of the race. BICREF was again satisfied with the great collaboration found by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, the participants of this race and the greater number of the public that is more aware of the cetaceans found in the Central Mediterranean Region including Maltese waters. As an NGO working toward promoting conservation research and awareness, BICREF looks forward to seeing this project continue side by side with the valid scientific research work undertaken by Dr. Adriana Vella, Ph.D.