Coexisting in the Peruvian Amazon: Interactions between fisheries and river dolphins
Campbell, E; Mangel, J; Alfaro-Shigueto, J; et al.Mena, JL; Thurstan, R; Godley, B
Date: 11 June 2020
Journal
Journal for Nature Conservation
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher DOI
Abstract
The freshwater tucuxi (Sotalia flluviatilis) and the Amazon River dolphin (Inia
geoffrensis) are endemic to the Amazon-Orinoco river basin. Their conservation is hindered
by human disturbance and uncertainty about total population size and distribution. In this
study, we used rapid assessment questionnaires to identify threats to ...
The freshwater tucuxi (Sotalia flluviatilis) and the Amazon River dolphin (Inia
geoffrensis) are endemic to the Amazon-Orinoco river basin. Their conservation is hindered
by human disturbance and uncertainty about total population size and distribution. In this
study, we used rapid assessment questionnaires to identify threats to river dolphins found in
Peru and to identify priority areas for their further study and conservation. We administered
questionnaires to fishers (surveyed 2010 n=162, 2015 n=251) and community members
(surveyed 2015 only; n=118) at 12 landing ports of the Peruvian Amazon, asking questions
about their knowledge, perception and interactions with river dolphins. Dolphins were
observed by interviewed fishers based across all ports except for Aguaytia port, which was
subsequently excluded from further analysis. Across the sampled ports in 2010, an average
of 86% of fishers (range: 59-100%; n=8 ports) associated dolphins with negative economic
impacts, largely due to net damage, with similar findings in the more extensive survey in
2015 (74%, 27-100%; n=11 ports). Bycatch of dolphins was also reported in 11 ports, with
a higher incidence in the state of Loreto, where up to 10 bycaught individuals per fisher per
year were reported for both time periods. The use of dolphins as bait has been practised
from at least 2010 (2010: 31% of fishers, 11-57%; 2015: 31%, 0-63%) and is prevalent
(>40%) in four of the surveyed ports (Caballococha, Bagazan, Requena and Manantay). Our
study can be used as a first reference to guide monitoring of river dolphin populations in
priority areas. Future efforts should revisit and extend this survey to other ports in Peru.
Doing so will enable detection of trends in fisheries conflicts with river dolphins and improve
the estimation of bycatch and direct take of dolphins in the Peruvian Amazon
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