|
 WDCS, in
partnership with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), and the Florida-based Dolphin
Ecology Project (DEP), has been awarded a grant to further dolphin conservation
and protection in the Florida Keys. As one of four recipients of the
“Protect Wild Dolphins” Grant dispersed through the Harbor Branch
Oceanographic Institute and focused on projects contributing to the
conservation of wild dolphins in Florida, WDCS is helping to develop an
innovative and positive approach to reduce dolphin harassment through
collaboration with dolphin tour operators and the institution of a voluntary
education program involving scientific research, adherence to codes of conduct
and recognition for best practices. The DolphinSMART program will be launched
in the Fall of 2006.
FT. PIERCE, FL.
The Protect Wild Dolphins
(PWD) specialty license plate program has just awarded $302,000 in grants to
four dolphin research, information and awareness programs in the State. Funds
will support important work to locate and identify dolphins using acoustic
detection devices; develop a code of conduct for dolphin tour operators; a
public service announcement that will convey that it is both illegal and
dangerous to feed marine mammals; and an investigation of the impacts to
dolphins and their environment from recent hurricanes and episodes of red tide.
This year's awards bring the total grant funding distributed since
the plate's inception in 1999 to nearly $2.8 million. In addition, over $4.5
million has supported Harbor Branch's dolphin research programs, including an
ongoing health assessment of Indian River Lagoon dolphins and the rescue and
care of stranded dolphins. Each year a $30,000 fund is also established to
reimburse other authorized organizations for expenses incurred while providing
care and assistance to sick and injured marine mammals.
Mote Marine
Laboratory in Sarasota will receive two grants. Working with the PWD program,
the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC), Mote Marine Laboratory will use the $100,000
grant to develop public service announcements that convey that is both illegal
and harmful to feed dolphins. Dolphins accustomed to begging for food become
less able to fend for themselves and these feeding interactions can lead to
physical harm to the persons feeding the dolphins as these are large, powerful
animals. The other award to Mote Marine Laboratory provides $59,879 to
investigate how hurricanes and red tides in the Port Charlotte area have
impacted this habitat for dolphins.
Florida State University has been
awarded $70,541 to to study the feasibility of tracking and identifying
individual dolphins using acoustic detection technologies. This project will
involve setting up a monitoring system at a Big Bend study site for the purpose
of advancing the means of determining where populations of dolphins go and why.
Combining this with monitoring of prey populations and movements, as well as
water quality parameters can begin to provide important clues to the motives
and objectives of dolphin population movements.
The DolphinSMART
project has been awarded $72,410 to develop, implement, and monitor a voluntary
code of conduct for dolphin tour operators. Just as it is illegal and unwise to
feed wild dolphins, it is also illegal and potential dangerous to approach wild
dolphins, even if it is done by an experienced tour operator. Operators who
learn and practice the code of conduct will be able to advertise their
participation and compliance and will be recognized by the program. The
objective is to teach and encourage methods of dolphin observing that do not
involve, befriending or harassing the animals.
Harbor Branch
Oceanographic Institution, a Florida non-profit research organization
(www.hboi.edu) administers all proceeds from the sale of the Protect Wild
Dolphins specialty license plate. These research grants from the program are
awarded based on a competitive peer-review proposal process. The program makes
final grant awards based on recommendations from an independent and unbiased
panel of dolphin researchers and resource managers.
The Protect Wild
Dolphins specialty license plate is available at all Tax
Collectors’ offices. The $20 annual surcharge supports
dolphin research and conservation in Florida. During the month of August,
Harbor Branch is partnering with 28 Florida counties to promote sales of PWD
specialty license plates. Premiums and incentives will be provided to auto
owners who purchase a PWD license plate. Interested customers can also visit
www.hboi.edu and click on the specialty plates to purchase
one online.
For more information about the program, please go to:
http://www.protectwilddolphins.org,.
Contact
Info:
Mr. Jan Petri
Harbor Branch Oceanographic
Tel : (772)
216-1459
E-mail : petri@hboi.edu
Website :
Harbor Branch Oceanographic
|
