Observations on incidental catch of cetaceans in three landing centres along the Indian coast

A short term survey to quantify the number of marine mammals incidentally caught, and interviews to gain perceptions of local fishers towards issues of by-catch, were conducted. A total of 44 cetaceans were recorded as incidental catches at Chennai, Kakinada and Mangalore fishing harbours during 80 days of observation. Six species of dolphins and one species of porpoise were recorded. The spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris was the most frequently caught (38.6%), followed by the finless porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides (31.8%). Gillnets and purse seines operated from motorised boats accounted for the entire by-catch. It is estimated that 9000–10,000 cetaceans are killed by gillnets every year along the Indian coast. The intricacies and possibilities of reducing cetacean kills by gillnets are discussed in the pape