As active as Abaco is above the water, it’s equally lively below the surface.
Among the marine life that calls Abaco home are bottlenose dolphins. For these animals, the Sea of Abaco isn’t simply a place they pass through. It’s where they live. They feed, rest, play, communicate and raise their young here.
And after more than 30 years of studying Abaco’s dolphins, the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization (BMMRO) is asking residents and visitors to help protect them — beginning with something remarkably simple: slow down.
A Population Under Pressure
Since 1991, BMMRO has been studying the dolphins that inhabit Abaco’s waters. According to BMMRO Education and Outreach Officer Denise Mizell, the organization conducts annual visual surveys, collecting photo-identification data that allows researchers to monitor individual dolphins and track the status of the population over time.
Dolphins are long-lived animals that reproduce relatively slowly, which means that populations can take a long time to recover when numbers decline.
In the early years of BMMRO’s research, Mizell says, the number of dolphins observed in the Sea of Abaco remained relatively consistent. Then, in 1996, after two consecutive years of storms, the population began to decline.
Mizell says an even sharper drop occurred in 1999 following Hurricane Floyd, the first major hurricane to hit the Sea of Abaco in three decades.
By 2009, the Sea of Abaco dolphin population had declined by 49%.
And though human activity can certainly affect dolphin populations, BMMRO found similarly alarming trends in a dolphin population off the more remote region of Sandy Point, based on studies conducted between 1997 and 2012.
The fact that both populations experienced declines suggests that hurricanes and their effects may have played a significant role.
The impact of storms can be particularly devastating for young dolphins. During storm years (and not just major hurricanes like Floyd and Dorian) BMMRO has recorded calf mortality of as much as 50%.
Storms can directly injure or kill dolphins, and separate calves from their mothers. Hurricanes can also destroy seagrass beds and coral reefs, disrupting the ecosystems that support the fish and other marine life dolphins depend upon.
Then there are the pollutants that storms introduce into the marine environment.
“We recently published a paper showing alarmingly high levels of heavy metals — arsenic from pressure-treated wood and copper from bottom paints — found in seawater, bottom sediment and seagrasses following Hurricane Dorian,” says Mizell.
The Problem Goes Beyond the Storms
Over the past 30 years, BMMRO has observed an overall decline in habitat quality, leading researchers to believe that the Sea of Abaco may no longer be able to support as many large predators, including dolphins, as it once did.
“With the threat of more frequent and intense hurricanes due to climate change, immediate actions are needed to support the recovery of this unique population of dolphins in the Sea of Abaco,” says Dr. Diane Claridge, Research Biologist at BMMRO.
Obviously, we can’t control the weather. But we can control some of the other pressures we place on the marine environment.
And one of the easiest places to start is with noise.
Give Them a Little Peace and Quiet
Dolphins live in a world of sound.
They rely on clicks and whistles to communicate with one another, find food and navigate their surroundings. For an animal that depends so heavily on sound, a constantly noisy underwater environment can make life considerably more difficult.
“The constant noise from fast-moving boats can drown out those vital clicks and whistles, making it harder for them to survive and raise the next generation,” says Mizell. “That’s why we’ve started a focused campaign to get boaters to slow their speed.”
The message is simple: slow down to 25 knots or less in the Sea of Abaco.
Slowing down creates a quieter, safer environment for the dolphins that live here. It gives them a better chance to find food, communicate with one another, stay connected with their families and successfully raise their calves.
It may not feel like a big sacrifice to the person at the helm.
But for a dolphin trying to navigate a noisy underwater world, it can make a big difference.
There’s Reason for Hope
Today, based on vessel surveys and acoustic data, BMMRO estimates that just 55–60 dolphins use the Sea of Abaco annually.
But there’s some good news for Abaco’s dolphin population.
“We’ve seen a slight increase in the last two to three years,” says Mizell, “probably because we haven’t had another storm since Dorian.”
What’s even more encouraging is that there are new calves among them. That means there’s hope to help this small, unique population recover.
What Else Can We Do?
Keeping your boat at 25 knots or less is an important first step, but it’s not the only way residents and visitors can help protect Abaco’s dolphins.
BMMRO recommends a few other ways we can help keep Abaco’s marine environment healthy:
- Fish responsibly. Follow Bahamian fishing regulations and avoid taking more fish than the ecosystem can sustain. Dolphins depend on many of the same fish as we do.
- Keep pollution out of the water. Follow environmental regulations, take care when fueling, and make proper use of your holding tank. Because there are few pump-out facilities in Abaco, boaters need to plan ahead and wait until they are somewhere appropriate to discharge their waste.
- Take your trash with you. Anything that ends up in the water has the potential to harm dolphins and other marine life.
- If you see marine debris, pick it up. Whether you’re on the beach or out on the water, removing trash can help — especially items that can entangle wildlife, such as rope, fishing line, plastic bags and plastic sheeting.
- Respect Marine Protected Areas such as the Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park, Fowl Cays National Park and Walker’s Cay National Park. Pay close attention to the rules and restrictions in these areas, which provide vital protection for marine habitats and the many species that rely on them.
Individually, none of these actions will solve the challenges facing Abaco’s dolphins. But together, they can make a real difference.
Dolphins have shared these waters with us for generations and they ask for very little in return. By remaining aware of how we boat, fish and dispose of waste, we can help ensure that the Sea of Abaco remains a place where dolphins can continue to feed, communicate, raise their young and thrive.
See a Dolphin? BMMRO Wants to Know
Abaco residents and visitors can help BMMRO with its ongoing research by reporting dolphin sightings through the BMMRO website or by WhatsApp at (242) 462-7923.
If possible, include:
- The date and time of the sighting
- The location (latitude and longitude are especially helpful)
- The number of dolphins observed
- Anything you noticed about their behaviour or activities
- Photos or videos you were able to take.
Every sighting helps researchers better understand the dolphins that call Abaco home.
And the next time you’re out on the water, slow down. Give them some peace and quiet. Let’s give Abaco’s remarkable dolphins a little help in raising the next generation.
