Aquatic Mammals 2013, 39(2), 116-124, DOI 10.1578/AM.39.2.2013.116 River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis, Sotalia fluviatilis) Mortality Events Attributed to Artisanal Fisheries in the Western Brazilian Amazon Verónica Iriarte and Miriam Marmontel Aquatic Mammal Research Group, Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development (MISD), Estrada do Bexiga 2584, 69470-000 Tefé/AM Brazil E-mail:
[email protected] Abstract riverine human populations, the negative reactions that cetacean presence causes to people could have a In the Western Brazilian Amazon, interactions of catalyst effect for the transition from “inciden- tal boto (Inia geoffrensis) and tucuxi (Sotalia fluvia- capture” to “intentional capture and competi- tor tilis) dolphins with fishing activities are common, removal.” Law enforcement and precautionary but the prevalence of incidental/intentional catches is measures through good fishing practices inside not known. This article describes incidental mor- dolphin critical foraging areas should be taken tality events and intentional killing of I. geoffren- together with fisheries’ managers and fishermen to sis and S. fluviatilis entangled in artisanal fishing start to develop multiple-species management and gear and the opportunistic use of carcasses as bait. ensure sustainable fishing practices. Between October 2010 and November 2011, sur- veys were conducted in waters of the lower Japurá River, between the Mamirauá and Amanã sus- Key Words: boto, Inia geoffrensis, tucuxi, Sotalia tainable development reserves. In order to obtain fluviatilis, incidental capture, gillnet, intentional information on interactions and to try to estab- killing, piracatinga, Calophysus macropterus lish a stranding/entanglement response program (SERP), informal conversations were exchanged Introduction with local inhabitants (n = 174).