Joint efforts needed to protect dolphins in isles, study finds

A combination of federal regulations and community-based conservation measures is needed to protect popular wild spinner dolphins in Hawaii, according to scientists from Duke University.

The recommendation, which provides for protection of the popular mammals in a way that preserves their value to the local tourism industry, is part of a new study published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism.

As the study notes, each year hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to Hawaii and pay to swim with dolphins in the shallow bays where they rest during the day. Increased tour activity, however, translates to greater disruption of the dolphins’ lives.

Over a span of five years, researchers conducted detailed surveys of Makako Bay and Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii island, noting the way different groups of people interacted with dolphins, and assessed each bay for its "potential to support community-based conservation efforts."

The team observed as many as 13 boats and 60 people coming within 700 feet of a pod of resting dolphins. In some cases, researchers witnessed people grabbing and riding dolphins or putting dogs in the water to chase them.

They found that Makako had more "dolphin-centric" activity but was significantly less amenable to community-based conservation.

According to David Johnson, an assistant professor at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, such results highlight the need for a combination of management approaches. He said education and outreach are essential, as is building trust among the various users of the bays.

"We’re hoping this study contributes to a productive and constructive conversation with federal authorities and tourism operators in Hawaii about the impacts of dolphin tourism," said Xavier Basurto, also an assistant professor at the Nicholas School.

The study was conducted as part of the Spinner Dolphin Acoustics, Population Parameters and Human Impacts Research (SAPPHIRE) Project, a joint effort between Duke University and Murdoch University in western Australia. SAPPHIRE was supported by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the Marine Mammal Commission, the state of Hawaii and Dolphin Quest.