Human Interactions With Dusky Dolphins: A Management Perspective

Within a 6-hour drive of each other are two completely different New Zealand marine environments where dusky dolphins and humans regularly interact. Both of these sites are characterized by the utilization of the marine environment, but in quite different ways. One of these, Kaikoura, is arguably the marine mammal eco-tourism capital of New Zealand, with dusky dolphins, sperm whales, and fur seals the target of viewing and swimming operations by tens of thousands of tourists every year. The other is Admiralty Bay, a bay in the outer Marlborough Sounds that contributes to a multi-million dollar marine farming industry but which is also an important winter feeding site for dusky dolphins. Both sites make significant contributions to the New Zealand economy, but where do the dusky dolphins fit into the picture? Well, the answer to that is not straight-forward.As with any commercial venture, economic imperatives will determine the success or failure of the eco-tourism and marine farming sectors but at what cost to the dolphins? While there are clear economic reasons to protect dolphins where they support an eco-tourism industry-one does not want to "kill the goose that lays the golden eggs"-there are no similar economic drivers in the marine farming industry. Even with eco-tourism, the lure of increased profits can potentially sway where the balance lies, particularly with regard to the level of behavioral change or interference that is deemed acceptable.The New Zealand Government is enthusiastic about these two economic power houses, eco-tourism and marine farming, and encourages their growth and development. At the same time, the conservation and protection of dolphins is a national priority enshrined in law. The challenge for management is in finding a balance between these two objectives, one that allows development to occur while at the same time protecting the marine environment and the species in it, including dusky dolphins. Well-meaning humans can have very different perceptions of where the balance lies, and sadly, compromise among them is often decided in the courts.There is no doubt that without a strong management framework, dusky dolphins in New Zealand would be significantly worse off than they are today. So when you next visit Kaikoura and see dolphins leaping offshore, or even savor a Marlborough Sounds green-lipped mussel, remember that the balancing of utilization and conservation of the marine environment represents an ongoing challenge. For this balance to be successful, the process needs the willingness of all parties to be reasonable, to compromise where possible, and to acknowledge that there may be real biologically determined bottom lines that cannot be crossed. The data feeding into decision-making must also be guided by the best available science.