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Spinner Dolphin
Spinner Dolphin
Stenella longirostris
![Spinner dolphin illustration](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218080556im_/https://cdn2.webdamdb.com/1280_0hfNmkBI9UoZ.png?1508200869)
Protected Status
Quick Facts
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About The Species
Spinner dolphins are probably the most frequently encountered cetacean in nearshore waters of the Pacific Islands Region. Spinner dolphins received their common name because they are often seen leaping and spinning out of the water. The species name, longirostris, is Latin for “long beak,” referring to their slender shaped beak.
Regarded as one of the most acrobatic of dolphins, spinner dolphins are well known for their habit of leaping from the water and spinning up to seven times in the air before falling back into the water. Experts believe that dolphins use these behaviors primarily for acoustic signaling or communication, but the activity can also be a way to remove ectoparasites, such as remoras.
Protected Status
CITES Appendix II
- Throughout Its Range
MMPA Protected
- Throughout Its Range
MMPA Depleted
1 distinct population segment
- Eastern stock
Appearance
Spinner dolphins are relatively small compared with other species of oceanic dolphins. They are slender, with thin, recurved flippers, and dorsal fins usually range from slightly curved to erect and triangular. Among Gray’s spinner dolphins (the subspecies that includes Hawaiian spinner dolphins), adult females are 4.6 to 6.7 feet long and adult males are 5.2 to 6.8 feet long. They reach weights of at least 181 pounds. There is a great deal of color variation in spinner dolphins across the globe, depending on the region and subspecies of dolphin. Gray’s spinner dolphins exhibit a tripartite color pattern with counter shading from dark to light. The three-part color region consists of a dark gray dorsal/top cape, a light gray side, and a white belly.
Individual dolphins are identified by their unique dorsal fins. Researchers take photographs of the dolphins' dorsal fins and then match the shape, nicks, and notches in each fin to a catalog of known individuals to obtain life history information for each animal.
Behavior and Diet
Spinner dolphins feed at night on species including small fish, shrimp, and squid that are found about 650 to 1,000 feet below the surface of the water. Spinner dolphin prey species follow a vertical and horizontal migration pattern, staying in deep waters in the ocean during the day, and then moving up in the water column (vertical migration) and inshore (horizontal migration) at night. Spinner dolphins take advantage of the nightly migration that brings their prey species to shallower depths and closer to shore by feeding throughout the night.
When resting, spinner dolphins move back and forth slowly as a single unit, with the animals in tight formation but spaced just out of contact with one another. They may engage in resting behaviors for about four to five hours daily. This behavior may vary seasonally, coinciding with the shifts in day length. During rest, spinner dolphins rely on vision rather than echolocation for scanning their environment. Group movements during rest are typically in open, sandy-bottom areas where predators are more visible.
At the end of their rest period, spinner dolphins usually abruptly increase their activity level, including their swim speeds, aerial behaviors, short dives, and vocalizations. In 1994, researchers described spinner dolphins swimming in a “zig-zag” pattern following their rest period. They swam toward the open waters and then doubled back into shallower waters. This back-and-forth swimming repeats a zig-zag formation over most of the area, possibly functioning as a social cue for the entire group to coordinate their movement into the deeper seas. Likewise, the dolphins’ acoustic behaviors rise and fall synchronously with the zig-zag swimming patterns. When these patterns subside, the spinner dolphins swiftly race to the offshore waters of their foraging grounds, where they are sometimes joined by bottlenose or spotted dolphins. At this point, spinner dolphins’ dive times are extended and the dolphins begin their foraging movements.
Where They Live
Habitat
In most places, spinner dolphins are found in the deep ocean where they likely track prey. Although the pelagic stock of Hawaiian spinner dolphins are found in the deeper waters offshore of the islands, the rest of the Hawaiʻi population has a more coastal distribution. During daytime hours, the island-associated stocks of Hawaiian spinner dolphins seek sanctuary in nearshore waters, where they return to certain areas to socialize, rest, and nurture their young. These areas are typically in clear, calm, and relatively shallow waters. They usually have a sandy bottom that presumably provides an environment in which the dolphins are able to visually monitor for predators, as they cease echolocation while they rest. Spinner dolphins use a variety of bays and nearshore coastal waters throughout their range, but they seem to prefer certain bays.
Distribution
Spinner dolphins are found throughout the world in tropical and warm-temperate waters. Four subspecies of spinner dolphins have been described worldwide:
- Stenella longirostris longirostris (also known as Gray’s spinner dolphin)—which includes the Hawaiian spinner dolphin—in the tropical Atlantic, Indian, and western and central Pacific Oceans.
- S. l. orientalis in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
- S. l. centroamericana near Central America
- S. l. rosiventris, the dwarf spinner dolphin, in southeast Asia to northern Australia
The Gray’s spinner dolphin is the typical form of spinner dolphin found in most areas of the world.
Lifespan & Reproduction
Like all marine mammals, spinner dolphins are slow reproducers. They live for about 20 years, with some individuals living for at least 25 years. Spinner dolphins may mate year-round, with multiple males mating with one female. Gestation is similar to other dolphin species and lasts approximately 11 months. Spinner dolphins calve year-round, generally about once every 3 years, and lactate often for 1 to 2 years. They reach sexual maturity at around 7 years of age.
Threats
Human Interactions and Viewing Pressure
Viewing wild marine mammals in Hawaiʻi has been a popular recreational activity for both tourists and residents over the past several decades. We estimate that there are upwards of 70 tour operators that provide dolphin-directed tours focused on Hawaiian spinner dolphins. More than 100 commercial boat tour and kayak tour operations may opportunistically view these animals.
Tours operate out of various harbors along most of the coasts of the main Hawaiian Islands, bringing guests to well-known locations for spinner dolphin viewing. Researchers have observed up to 13 tour boats at a time in some locations, with vessels jockeying for position on a single spinner dolphin group and more than 60 swimmers in the water attempting to closely interact with the dolphins at once. In addition, a number of residents and visitors venture on their own, independent of commercial operators, to view and interact with spinner dolphins. Some operators and various media outlets have encouraged the expectation for close interactions with wild dolphins, and routinely promote close vessel or in-water encounters with the dolphins. This contradicts established wildlife viewing guidelines.
Commercial operators and individuals interested in viewing or closely interacting with Hawaiian spinner dolphins increasingly target essential daytime habitats.Encounters with dolphins in these areas are virtually guaranteed due to the predictability of spinner dolphin behavior. Viewing spinner dolphins in their natural habitat can be an educational and enriching experience if conducted safely and responsibly from a distance. However, closely approaching, swimming with, pursuing, interacting, or attempting to interact with the dolphins could disrupt their daytime behaviors. Some interactions with people in essential daytime habitats may disturb individual dolphins or resting groups.
Response to disturbance varies among individuals, but ultimately diverts time and energy from fitness-enhancing activities. These responses may, over time, result in negative impacts to the fitness of individuals or resident populations. For example, lack of consistent, undisturbed resting periods can reduce the amount of energy available for a spinner dolphin to engage effectively in foraging activities at night. Over time, this can result in overall poor body condition, which reduces the dolphin’s ability to fight off disease, protect itself from predators, successfully reproduce, or rear its young.
Peer-reviewed scientific literature has documented disturbance responses by individual spinner dolphins, as well as changes to spinner dolphin group behavior patterns over time. Individual dolphin responses include:
- Increased displays such as leaping, spinning, or tail slapping when closely approached by vessels and swimmers.
- Avoidance behaviors, including increased swimming speed and moving away from swimmers and vessels, or leaving the bay in response to human pursuit.
- Aggressive behaviors directed at people, including charging or threat displays.
Researchers have also documented changes to spinner dolphins’ behavior patterns in essential daytime habitats, including changes to patterns associated with aerial behaviors, residence times, and distribution within the habitat. Human-caused disturbances to daily behaviors may be incidents of take, as defined (and prohibited) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The chronic nature of these problems in Hawaiʻi and the observed changes to behavioral patterns over time are a cause for concern for this dolphin population.
Marine Debris
Marine debris is a growing concern within the marine environment, as it poses multiple threats to the marine ecosystem. For instance, dolphins may ingest (either directly or through prey items) or become entangled in marine debris. These interactions may cause:
- Drowning
- Debilitation
- Limited predator avoidance
- Internal or external wounds
- Skin lesions or sores
- Blockage of the digestive tract, resulting in starvation that often leads to death
- Reductions in quality of life and/or reproductive capacity
- Impairment of feeding capacity
- Introduction and/or concentration of damaging or toxic compounds to the animal.
The severity of the effects of debris interactions on dolphin populations remains unclear because many deaths likely occur undetected at sea.
We do not have sufficient information to determine the severity of the threat of direct ingestion of large debris on Hawaiian spinner dolphins.Some data indicates that spinner dolphin prey species are consuming very small plastics. In 2010, researchers analyzed mesopelagic fish in the North Pacific Central Gyre and found that 35 percent of the fish—many of which were lantern fishes (spinner dolphins’ main prey)—had ingested plastic. Larger fish generally had more pieces of plastic in their guts than smaller fish. We are particularly concerned about the ability for plastic debris to absorb organic pollutants that may be toxic to marine organisms. Scientists have also found high levels of butyltin and organochlorine (chemical compounds found in some plastics) in migrating lantern fish species in the Western North Pacific, which may indicate a cause for concern for predators, such as spinner dolphins.
Human-Made Noise
Humans introduce sound intentionally and unintentionally into the marine environment. This could be from commercial and recreational ocean activities, navigation, oil and gas exploration and acquisition, research, and military activities. Spinner dolphins use sound to communicate, navigate, locate prey, locate predators, and sense their environment. How severely noise exposure affects dolphins and whales depends on factors including:
- Noise source
- Decibel level
- Distance between the source and the animal
- Characteristics of the animal (for example, hearing sensitivity, behavioral context, age, sex, and previous experience with sound source)
- Time of day or season (which affects how sound travels through the water)
In marine mammal populations, noise can seriously disrupt communication, navigational ability, and social patterns.
Disease
Spinner dolphins, like all marine mammals, can be susceptible to widespread disease. Outbreaks in spinner dolphins are not commonly reported, but scientists have previously detected serious diseases, such as toxoplasmosis and cetacean morbillivirus. Although the number of spinner dolphin deaths attributed to these diseases are fairly low (many are thought to be unreported), thousands of other marine mammal species have died from these diseases worldwide.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Mammalia | Order | Cetacea | Family | Delphinidae | Genus | Stenella | Species | longirostris |
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What We Do
Conservation & Management
We are committed to protecting spinner dolphins through various conservation, regulatory, and enforcement measures. Our work includes:
- Proposing enhanced protections of Hawaiian spinner dolphins through regulatory action under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
- Promoting sustainable and legal wildlife viewing practices among the tourism industry and local communities.
- Developing research priorities to monitor spinner dolphin abundance, health, and threats (such as human disturbance).
- Managing programs that support the protection and conservation of spinner dolphins, including Dolphin SMART, the Dolphin-Safe Program, and the Dolphin Energetics Program.
- Educating the public on minimizing spinner dolphin disturbance by providing outreach programs and educational materials.
Science
We conduct various research activities on the biology, behavior, and ecology of the spinner dolphin. The results of this research inform management decisions and enhance recovery efforts for this species. Our work includes:
- Research such as photo-identification studies.
- Cetaceans surveys.
- Acoustics monitoring.
How You Can Help
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Do Not Interact with Marine Animals in the Wild
Do not harass, feed, hunt, capture, kill, pursue, approach, surround, swim with, or attempt to touch protected marine wildlife. Never entice protected marine wildlife to approach you.
Do not engage, chase, or try to get a reaction from the animal. If you’re in the water, allow them to pass without disturbing it. Disturbing wildlife interrupts their ability to perform critical functions such as feeding, breeding, nursing, resting, and socializing.
If you’re on a vessel and a spinner dolphin approaches you, put the engine in neutral and allow the animal to continue on its way. If a spinner dolphin is crossing your path, slow down and pass behind it.
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Keep Your Distance
Be responsible when viewing marine life in the wild. Observe all small whales from a safe distance of at least 100 yards by sea or land.
In Washington State inland waters, it is illegal to approach a killer whale within 200 yards. Please visit BeWhaleWise for more specific instructions.
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Report Marine Life in Distress
Report a sick, injured, entangled, stranded, or dead animal to make sure professional responders and scientists know about it and can take appropriate action. Numerous organizations around the country are trained and ready to respond. Never approach or try to save an injured or entangled animal yourself—it can be dangerous to both the animal and you.
Learn who you should contact when you encounter a stranded or injured marine animal >
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Report a Violation
Call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964 to report a federal marine resource violation. This hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone in the United States.
You may also contact your closest NOAA Office of Law Enforcement field during regular business hours.
Featured News
Related Species
Population Highlights
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin
![Spinner dolphin in air.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218080556im_/https://cdn2.webdamdb.com/1280_M4bOz8PM5u42.jpg?1513891869)
Hawaiian spinner dolphin leaps through the air.
The Hawaiian population of spinner dolphins spend their daylight hours in coastal waters, generally in calm bays. They use these areas to rest, socialize, care for their young, and avoid predators. At night they travel to deeper water to hunt for food. Spinner dolphins have what is called a "fission-fusion social pattern." They "fuse" to form large schools of hundreds of animals when feeding at night and split off into much smaller groups—sometimes of only a dozen individuals—when socializing and resting during the day.
Protected Status
A robust estimate for the population size of spinner dolphins is only available for the Hawaiʻi Island stock, which is estimated to be around 600 animals. The Kauaʻi/Niʻihau stock is estimated to be around 600 animals and Oʻahu/4-Islands stock is estimated to be around 300 animals. Both of these estimates lack data from the stocks' full ranges. Information is insufficient to provide estimates for the other three stocks.
Distribution
Spinner dolphins are common and abundant throughout the entire Hawaiian Archipelago. Because of genetic differences between spinner dolphins throughout the islands and atolls, the population in Hawaiʻi has five distinct island-associated stocks. The stocks are as follows: 1) Midway/Kure, 2) Pearl and Hermes Reef, 3) Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, 4) Oʻahu/4-Islands (including Maui, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe), and 5) Hawaiʻi Island. These stocks live in coastal waters to 10 nautical miles from the shore of their resident islands. All other spinner dolphins found outside of 10 nautical miles and within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (including those at French Frigate Shoals) are part of the Pelagic stock. The genetic data suggest that these stocks are reproductively isolated populations, meaning that there is little to no breeding between stocks.
In the Spotlight
Management Overview
Spinner dolphins, like all marine mammals, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to conserving spinner dolphin populations through numerous management and regulatory actions.
Legal Protection
All marine mammals are protected from "take" under the MMPA. The MMPA defines take to mean: "to harass, capture, or kill" any marine mammal or attempt to do so. Harassment is further defined as any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance that has the potential to do the following:
- Level A harassment—injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild.
- Level B harassment—disturb a marine mammal or marine stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering.
When viewing spinner dolphins in the wild, people must ensure their activities will not result in "take." Activities that result in take can include close approach to dolphins, by vessel or any other means, and activities like swimming with the dolphins. The MMPA does not specify the distance at which harassment is likely to occur for spinner dolphins.Any activity that has the potential to disturb these animals can be considered harassment and is therefore illegal.
Current Management Issues
Resident populations of Hawaiian spinner dolphins feed offshore throughout the night and return to Hawaiʻi's coasts to rest during the day. Hawaiian spinner dolphins rest in Hawaiʻi's sheltered bays and along its coastlines. They are one of the most easily encountered cetaceans in the waters of the main Hawaiian Islands, they are vulnerable to disturbance and harassment. Dolphin-directed activities have grown dramatically in recent years, and the easily accessible Hawaiian spinner dolphins face heavy and increasing pressures from people seeking a dolphin experience. Chronic disturbance to resting activities can negatively affect the health and fitness of dolphins.
Based on extensive analysis using the best scientific information available, feedback from the public, and consultation with enforcement officials, NOAA Fisheries has determined that the rules currently in place to implement the MMPA should be made more specific for Hawaiian spinner dolphins. This will more effectively prevent potentially harmful impacts of increased viewing and interaction pressures on these animals.
Conservation Efforts
Promoting Responsible Wildlife Viewing
NOAA Fisheries has developed wildlife viewing guidelines for spinner dolphins and other protected species to help the public understand how to responsibly and legally view these animals. To be compliant with the law, it is best to follow the guidelines.
- Six reasons why you should not swim with wild spinner dolphins
- Marine Life Viewing Guidelines
- Viewing Marine Wildlife in Hawaiʻi
Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events
Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, an unusual mortality event (UME) is defined as "a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response." To understand the health of marine mammal populations, scientists study unusual mortality events.
Get information on active and past UMEs
Get an overview of marine mammal UMEs
Dolphin-Safe/Tuna Tracking and Verification Program
Dolphins, like other marine mammals, may become bycatch in fisheries. Some species of tuna are known to aggregate beneath schools of certain dolphin stocks. In some parts of the world, this close association led to the fishing practice of encircling a dolphin school to capture the tuna concentrated below. The Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act established a national tuna tracking program to ensure that tuna imported into the United States meets certain requirements to ensure the safety of dolphins during tuna fishing operations.
Learn more about the Dolphin-Safe/Tuna Tracking and Verification Program
Dolphin SMART
Dolphin SMART is a partnership program that was developed by NOAA Fisheries, NOAA Office of Marine Sanctuaries, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and the Dolphin Ecology Project. The goal of the program is to promote responsible stewardship of wild dolphins. The acronym SMART stands for:
S = Stay back 50 yards from dolphins
M = Move away cautiously if dolphins show signs of disturbance
A = Always put your engine in neutral when dolphins are near
R = Refrain from feeding, touching, or swimming with wild dolphins
T = Teach others to be Dolphin SMART
Regulatory History
In 2005, NOAA Fisheries convened a Spinner Dolphin Working Group to behance protections for Hawaiian spinner dolphins from human disturbance. This group consisted of individuals from the Marine Mammal Commission and state and federal agencies that participate in spinner dolphin research and conservation. We used deliberations from this working group to inform an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that was published in the Federal Register in December 2005. A Notice of Intent (NOI) to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement followed, in which we identified five preliminary alternatives for consideration and comment:
- Partial (time-area based) closures for certain spinner dolphin resting habitats
- A No Action Alternative
- Establishing a minimum distance limit
- Regulation of human behavior while in NOAA Fisheries-identified spinner dolphin resting areas
- Complete closure of all known spinner dolphin resting areas in the Main Hawaiian Islands
This notice invited information from the public on the scope of the issues that should be addressed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the issues of concern regarding practical considerations involved in applying the proposed regulations, and the identification of environmental and socioeconomic concerns to be addressed in the analysis. The notice also sought to determine whether NOAA Fisheries is addressing the appropriate range of alternatives.
On August 23, 2016, NOAA Fisheries published the DEIS and a proposed rule to enhance protections for Hawaiian spinner dolphins to prevent disturbance and harassment from dolphin-directed human activities. The proposed rule would prohibit swimming with and approaching a Hawaiian spinner dolphin within 50 yards by any means (vessel, person, or other object) and would be implemented within two nautical miles from shore of the main Hawaiian Islands and in designated waters between Maui, Lānaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe where spinner dolphins are found throughout the day.
Key Actions and Documents
Incidental Take Authorization: Scripps Institute of Oceanography Low-Energy Geophysical Survey in the South Atlantic Ocean
Incidental Take Authorization: Low-Energy Geophysical Survey in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean
Incidental Take Authorization: U.S. Navy Mariana Islands Training and Testing (MITT)
- Letter of Authorization (pdf, 33 pages)
- Revised LOA Application (pdf, 325 pages)
- LOA Application (pdf, 318 pages)
- Monitoring and Reporting
- Notification and Reporting Plan (pdf, 4 pages)
- Biological Opinion
- Environmental Impact Statement
- Public Comments
- NRDC Comment Letter (pdf, 37 pages)
- References (pdf, 25 pages)
Incidental Take Authorization: U.S. Navy Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT) (2018-2025)
- Final Rule for 2 Year Extension
- Proposed Rule for 2 Year Extension
- Notice of Receipt of Application for 2 Year Extension
- Final Rule
- Proposed Rule
- Notice of Receipt of Application for LOA
- LOA for Testing (pdf, 38 pages)
- LOA for Training (pdf, 38 pages)
- Application for Extension (pdf, 84 pages)
- LOA and Rule Application (pdf, 580 pages)
- Monitoring Reports (External Link)
- Environmental Impact Statement (External Link)
- Mitigation Addendum (pdf, 12 pages)
- Notification and Reporting Plan (pdf, 4 pages)
- Final Biological Opinion (pdf, 683 pages)
- Public Comments (External Link)
- References (pdf, 15 pages)
Science Overview
NOAA Fisheries conducts various research activities to learn about the biology, behavior, and ecology of spinner dolphins. This research informs management decisions and enhances recovery efforts for spinner dolphin populations.
Population Assessments
Determining the size of spinner dolphin populations helps resource managers determine the success of conservation measures. Our scientists collect population information and present the data in annual stock assessment reports.
Photo-Identification Studies
Long-term photo-identification studies provide insight into habitat use, movements, and life history characteristics of individual spinner dolphins. Some species of cetaceans have unique, naturally occurring markings on their bodies or dorsal fins. We use photographic records of these scars, nicks, notches, or color patterns to identify individuals. We also archive our photographs of spinner dolphins with other sighting data, such as location, group size and structure, and behavior. We can then track individual cetaceans over time and between locations on the basis of their unique photo-IDs.
Our cetacean scientists conduct photo-ID research throughout the Hawaiian Islands, at Palmyra Atoll, and around Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. These long-term studies will help establish new stock boundaries for island-associated cetaceans in each region. Once we establish the photo catalogs, we can also use them to evaluate species abundance using mark-recapture techniques.
Photo-Identification Network
Our cetacean scientists are active participants in the Pacific Islands Photo-Identification Network (PIPIN). This group of researchers from the Hawaiian Islands study spinner dolphins and use photo-ID as a primary research tool. PIPIN is creating a collaborative photo-identification database of spinner dolphin populations within the Hawaiian Islands. This will help us study movements of dolphins between islands (if they occur), and to determine if dolphin populations differ from one island to the next. Results of the cooperative studies will help managers assess and resolve issues with human-dolphin interactions, such as impacts on spinner dolphins arising from "swim-with-dolphins" tourism operations.
Hawaiian Islands Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey
The Hawaiian Islands Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (HICEAS, pronounced "high-seas") is a large-scale ship survey for (hales, dolphins, and seabirds within the U.S. waters of the Hawaiian Islands. The study area is approximately 1.8 million square nautical miles, which includes waters surrounding all Northwestern and main Hawaiian Islands out to 200 nautical miles offshore. Waters within this 200 nautical miles boundary around the Hawaiian Islands are referred to as the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
HICEAS is a collaboration between the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center located in Honolulu, Hawai`i, and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center located in La Jolla, California. NOAA Fisheries has conducted HICEAS in 2002, 2010, and 2017. The goals are to estimate how many whales and dolphins are in Hawaiian waters, examine their population structure, and understand their habitat.
There are four major research components to HICEAS:
- Visual observations for cetaceans, including photo-identification, biopsy sampling, and satellite tagging.
- Passive acoustic monitoring using towed hydrophone arrays and other tools.
- Ecosystem assessment, including visual surveys for seabirds and measurement of oceanographic variables.
Other ancillary projects, such as aerial photogrammetry using a hexacopter, testing of new passive acoustic tools, and projects that support and augment our assessment mission.
Recent Science Blogs
Documents
Injury Determinations for Humpback Whales and Other Cetaceans Reported to NOAA Response Networks in the Hawaiian Islands During 2018
During 2018, there were 19 reports of cetaceans with human-caused injuries, including 4 humpback…
Cited References for Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin Proposed Rule
A complete list of all references cited in the Hawaiian spinner dolphin proposed rule.
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Regulatory Impact Review
Enhancing protections for Hawaiian spinner dolphins to prevent disturbance.
Research
Cetacean Behavior
Studying oceanic cetacean societies: their diversity, complexity, and conservation.
Question of the Week: Dolphins and Whales on the High Seas
Question: Why are large scale surveys like HICEAS so rare when they seem to be quite important and interesting? â Jessica (Honolulu, HI) Answer: HICEAS 2017 was the first survey of its kind in Hawaii since 2010. These surveys are rare because our…