The Tuna- Porpoise Problem: NMFS Dolphin Mortality Reduction Research, 1970-81

Nearly 15 years have passed since the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) first became concerned with reducing incidental dolphin’ mortality in the U.S tuna purse-seine fishery. This paper is presented as an overview of NMFS’ applied research on this problem. The major portion of this research was conducted at the La Jolla Laboratory of the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Center (SWFC). This paper is not intended to be a complete history of the program, but rather is a summary and index of the major research conducted by the SWFC over the full course of the program’s existence from 1970 to 1981. A glossary (Table 1) and a bibliography of NMFS publications and reports on dolphin mortality-reduction research are included.