Education and outreach regarding feeding wild dolphins
By Randall S. Wells, PhD

One of the NMFS billboards to discourage feeding of wild dolphins.

Human feeding of wild dolphins is a continuing and growing problem in the southeastern United States. It is believed that this may be contributing to the increased number of mortalities and serious injuries from entanglement in and depredation of recreational fishing gear in Florida and elsewhere. These actions are illegal under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, and they are bad for the animals. Dolphins such as Beggar, well-known from the Sarasota area since 1990 for his approaches to boaters for handouts (see photo below), are at increased risk from other human interactions as they approach people and boats or become reliant on these handouts. We suspect that this begging behavior may be passed from dolphin to dolphin. In 2006, our program published a peer-reviewed manuscript in the journal Aquatic Mammals summarizing our research on Beggar to date.

Beggar receiving handouts during 2006. Note the two large NMFS signs on the bridge fender on the opposite side of the boat, informing boaters of the prohibition on feeding wild dolphins.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is stepping up efforts to curtail feeding of wild dolphins. They have recently installed billboards in dolphin feeding hotspots, near Panama City, FL, and near Beggar's hang-out. In addition, NMFS is contacting businesses with an interest in wild dolphins, explaining the laws governing human activities around dolphins.

In collaboration with the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program and Dolphin Research Center, NMFS is developing a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) that will hopefully discourage the public from feeding wild dolphins. Distribution is planned to include broadcast networks, in-house programming for hotels and other businesses, schools, conservation groups, etc. We hope to produce and release the animated feature in 2007, but we are still seeking $90,000 of the production and distribution costs. To date, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution's Protect Wild Dolphins Program has pledged $100,000, Dolphin Quest has provided $5,000, and the Sea World – Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has contributed $5,000 for this project.