Project Update: February 2008

- As an update of the activities from October 07-February 08, we have continued with the monitoring of fishing trips from 03 sampling sites. During these we continued to register small cetacean interactions mainly in gillnet fishing vessels. The species correspond were: common dolphin Delphinus capensis, porpoise Phocoena spinipinnis, dusky dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus and bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus. Also during these months we registered sea lions Otaria flavescens entangled incidentally in nets.
- As part of the educational component of this study, we designed and distributed a leaflet for identification of marine mammals. This guide was provided to fishermen during workshops at Ilo, Salaverry and San Jose ports.
- A radio spot stressing the bycatch of dolphins and porpoises (known as ‘chanchos marinos’) was promoted in local radios at some fishing ports. This sport advertised the need of report any bycatch to the local authorities that would decide the final destination of the animal.