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Unravelling Dolphin Entanglement Deaths

Scientists are using computers to identify commercial fisheries that may be responsible for dolphins’ deaths from entanglement in fishing gear. Generally, most fishermen in any fishery use ropes with similar diameter and braiding patterns. Impressions and wounds left by the ropes on dolphins’ skin can help identify the fishery that caused entanglement. NOAA scientists superimpose photographs of impressions from dolphin carcasses with computer-generated rope images to match dolphin entanglements with fisheries. This technique promises to be an important way to investigate suspected fishery-related marine mammal deaths.