Title

Interactions between the Indian River Lagoon blue crab fishery and the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus

Authors

Authors

W. D. Noke;D. K. Odell

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Mar. Mamm. Sci.

Keywords

bottlenose dolphin; Tursiops truncatus; blue crab fishery; Callinectes; sapidus; entanglement; SAMPLING METHODS; NOSED DOLPHINS; BEHAVIOR; HISTORY; FLORIDA; Marine & Freshwater Biology; Zoology

Abstract

Anecdotal reports from blue crab fishermen in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida suggested that bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) followed their boats, and stole bait fish from crab pots soon after they were deployed. To investigate these reports, we made biweekly observations from IRL commercial crab boats from January 1998 to January 1999 (670 h). Only 2.8% of the 18,891 crab pots surveyed revealed evidence of dolphin/crab pot interaction. Dolphin interactions included: (1) begging at boats, (2) feeding on discarded bait fish, (3) engaging in crab pot tipping behavior, and (4) dolphin mortality from crab pot float line entanglement. Overall, 16.6% of the 1,296 dolphins sighted interacted with fishing boats. Seasonal trends were evident, with fishery interactions peaking in the summer. Crab pot interactions ranged from 0% to 36176 of the traps checked daily. Different methods of securing the bait-well door and the role of trap locality were tested using a replicated experimental design. Results showed significant differences in successful bait removal by dolphins, among the degrees of door security (P < 0.001) and between trap location (P < 0.01). Thus, increased door security may help to reduce the negative impacts to the fishery and dolphins involved.

Journal Title

Marine Mammal Science

Volume

18

Issue/Number

4

Publication Date

1-1-2002

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

819

Last Page

832

WOS Identifier

WOS:000178998100002

ISSN

0824-0469

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