Fisheries Interactions More Threatening to Maui Nui Dolphins than Previously Thought: Pacific Whale Foundation Researchers Discover New Evidence
Retrieved on:
Monday, September 20, 2021
Using dorsal fin, mouth line and underwater body imagery, the latter a first of its kind for this type of study, researchers found that fisheries interactions on Maui Nui dolphins may be more pervasive than initially thought.
Key Points:
- Using dorsal fin, mouth line and underwater body imagery, the latter a first of its kind for this type of study, researchers found that fisheries interactions on Maui Nui dolphins may be more pervasive than initially thought.
- A recent paper citing an apparent decline in bottlenose dolphin population in Maui Nui highlights the importance of PWF's study in exploring the potential impacts of fisheries interaction to these dolphins.
- Every image in the nonprofit's extensive photo-ID catalog, was reviewed to identify dolphins with scars on dorsal fins, mouthlines and bodies of dolphins that indicate past interactions with fisheries and fishing gear.
- Building on established methodology, focused primarily on dorsal fin analysis, researchers used underwater body images to gain a new perspective for assessing fisheries interactions.