The status of cetaceans in the izmir bay: Preliminary results

One forth (Approx. n=20) of the marine mammal species occur in the Mediterranean Basin. And they were represented by 14 species in the eastern Mediterranean Region. To date, a very few studies were carried out to determine the status of these marine mammals in this region including our main study area the Izmir Bay. Therefore, the authors carried out the present preliminary study to determine the status of the marine mammals in this Bay. The study was conducted between September 2001 and November 2002 via direct observations at sea, distribution/collection of the cetacean sighting questionnaires among seamen, and questionnaires applied to the fishermen. As the result of the study, three species were determined during the study period in the Izmir Bay. Two of those Tursiops truncatus and Stenella coeruleolba were determined occurring in all seasons. And the third one Delphinus delphis was determined all seasons except in winter months. T. truncatus was reported to be the most abundant species. During the study, it has been reported that except one occasion T. truncatus is the only species accidentally entangled to the fishing gears