Pantropical Spotted Dolphin

Reducing Interactions with Fishing Gear

Pantropical spotted dolphins are caught as bycatch in fishing gear, leading to serious injuries and death, especially in the eastern tropical Pacific. NOAA Fisheries works with fishermen, industry, non-government organizations, and academia to find approaches and strategies for reducing bycatch in U.S. fisheries.

Learn more about bycatch and fisheries interactions

Overseeing Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response

We work with volunteer networks in all coastal states to respond to marine mammal strandings including all dolphins and porpoises. When stranded animals are found alive, NOAA Fisheries and our partners assess the animal’s health and determine the best course of action. When stranded animals are found dead, our scientists work to understand and investigate the cause of death. Although the cause often remains unknown, scientists can sometimes attribute strandings to disease, harmful algal blooms, vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglements, pollution exposure, and underwater noise. Some strandings can serve as indicators of ocean health, giving insight into larger environmental issues that may also have implications for human health and welfare.

Learn more about the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events

Pantropical spotted dolphins have been part of a declared unusual mortality event in the past. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, an unusual mortality event is defined as "a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response." To understand the health of marine mammal populations, scientists study unusual mortality events.

Get information on active and past UMEs

Get an overview of marine mammal UMEs

Minimizing Harassment and Illegal Feeding

As human interactions with wild dolphins increase, so does the risk of disturbing or injuring these animals. The Hawaiian stock of pantropical spotted dolphins is especially vulnerable to disturbance and harassment from tourists. NOAA Fisheries provides guidance on how to safely and responsibly view dolphins, including the following initiatives:

• Protect Dolphins Campaign
• Don't Feed Wild Dolphins
• Dolphin SMART program

Learn more about the rules regarding feeding and harassing marine mammals in the wild

Implementing the Dolphin-Safe/Tuna Tracking and Verification Program

Pantropical spotted dolphins, like other marine mammals, may become bycatch in fisheries. Some species of tuna are known to aggregate beneath schools of northeastern offshore spotted dolphin stocks in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. This close association led to the fishing practice of encircling a spotted dolphin school to capture the tuna concentrated below. The Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act established a national tuna tracking program to ensure that tuna imported into the United States meets certain requirements. The program helps ensure the safety of dolphins—such as the northeastern offshore spotted stock—during tuna fishing operations.

Learn more about the Dolphin-Safe/Tuna Tracking and Verification Program