Genetic and demographic assessment of dolphins taken in live-capture and traditional drive-hunt in the Solomon Islands

Principal Investigators: Oremus, Baker, Miller, Taei, Donoghue

The research project focuses on the live-capture of T. aduncus for commercial trade and display, and on the traditional drive-hunt of delphinid species, both of them taking place in the Solomon Islands. Overall, the project aims to address the objectives given below:

(1)     to gain an improved understanding of the population status and dynamics of T. aduncus in the Solomon Islands and to contribute to a robust science-based assessment of the sustainability of current authorised levels of live-capture removal;

(2)     to determine the species of dolphins taken by traditional drive-hunts in the Solomon Islands and to investigate the population status of these species using molecular tools; and

(3)     to provide, through objectives 1 and 2, the government of Solomon Islands with capacity building in marine mammal surveys and scientific advice, based on robust data, to inform management decisions on the removal of dolphins from their wild populations.