ORLANDO, Fla. — A study from 2023 revealed a troubling trend that is leading to the injury and death of bottlenose dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon.
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The study, done by the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI) and published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases states that one of the main culprits is dolphins getting entangled in fishing gear.
There are just over 1,000 dolphins currently in the Indian River Lagoon according to HSWRI’s population estimates.
In the past four months the have been seven documented cases of dolphins getting entangled in fishing gear, according to HSWRI.
Indian River Lagoon is not an isolated incident, sadly, this trend has been steadily worsening in recent years.
It is estimated that 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises worldwide die each year from entanglement in ocean trash and fishing gear.
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Wendy Noke Durden, a Research Scientist at HSWRI in Melbourne Beach, and co-director of the Marine Mammal Research & Rescue Program said there are a few possibilities that could be contributing to this increase.
Dolphins tend to gather near piers and other areas that are heavily used for recreational fishing in search of food, which increased their risk of getting entangled in active and discarded lines.
Since fear gear that is left behind, inadvertently or deliberately, takes hundreds of years to breakdown, wildlife entanglement risk continues to grow.
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While the cause is unknown, most Indian River Lagoon dolphins are nutritionally compromised (93% documented in decreased nutritional condition).
If prey is scarce, dolphins are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as approaching and feeding from fishing lines, or on released fish, Durden said.
Durden said that the public can be the dolphins’ greatest ally.
“They are our eyes and ears on the lagoon. It’s critical that any sightings of stranded, injured, or entangled dolphins be reported immediately,” Durden said.
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To help protect dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon, here is what the community should keep in mind:
- Reel in your gear if dolphins are nearby.
- Stash your trash to prevent it from entering the lagoon.
- Recycle fishing line and be diligent in preventing discarded line from entering the water.
- If you observe a dolphin that is in distress, entangled, or stranded, promptly make a report to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) at: 1-888-404-3922.
- Take photos to help the Marine Mammal Research & Rescue Program locate and document the animal.
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The Indian River Lagoon consists of three interconnected waterbodies: the Mosquito Lagoon, Banana River and Indian River. The full length of the Lagoon is 156 miles and covers one-third of Florida’s east coast.
The HSWRI Marine Mammal Research & Rescue Program in Florida is on call 24/7 to respond to whale and dolphin stranding events across nearly 40% of Florida’s east coast and respond to 70 calls on average every year.
According to the HSWRI research study, trauma accounts for 36% of Indian River Lagoon dolphin deaths; with over half of those caused by human activity.
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