See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275894391 Oceanic Cetaceans and Associated Habitats in the Western Solomon Islands. In: Green, A., P. Lokani, W. Atu, P. Ramohia, P... Technical Report · May 2006 CITATIONS READS 0 33 1 author: Benjamin Kahn APEX Environmental 14 PUBLICATIONS 136 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Banda & Ceram Seas Marine Mammal Survey, east Indonesia: 5-15 November 2016 View project Oceanic Cetaceans in the Solomon Islands View project All content following this page was uploaded by Benjamin Kahn on 06 May 2015. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. All in-text references underlined in blue are added to the original document and are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately. June 2006 TNC Pacifi c Island Countries Report No 1/06 Solomon Islands Government Chapter 8 Oceanic Cetaceans & Associated Habitats Solomon Islands Marine Assessment Benjamin Kahn APEX Environmental 445 Published by: The Nature Conservancy, Indo-Pacific Resource Centre Author Contact Details: Benjamin Kahn: P.O. Box 59 Clifton Beach, Cairns 4879 QLD Australia. e-Mail: [email protected] Suggested Citation: Kahn, B. 2006. Oceanic Cetaceans and Associated Habitats. In: Green, A., P. Lokani, W. Atu, P. Ramohia, P. Thomas and J. Almany (eds.) 2006. Solomon Islands Marine Assessment: Technical report of survey conducted May 13 to June 17, 2004. TNC Pacific Island Countries Report No. 1/06 © 2006, The Nature Conservancy All Rights Reserved. Reproduction for any purpose is prohibited without prior permission. Design: Jeanine Almany Artwork: Nuovo Design Cover Photo: © Benjamin Kahn, APEX Environmental Available from: Indo-Pacific Resource Centre The Nature Conservancy 51 Edmondstone Street South Brisbane, QLD 4101 Australia Or via the worldwide web at: www.conserveonline.org 446 Oceanic Cetaceans & Associated Habitats CONTENTS Executive Summary............................................................................................................................................448 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................452 The Cetaceans of the Solomon Islands..............................................................................................................452 Solomon Islands Cetacean Species and Habitats............................................................................................ 453 The Solomon Islands Marine Assessment’s Contribution to the ‘Cetacean Data Gap’.....................454 Limitations of the SI Cetacean REA.................................................................................................................. 455 The Goals for the SI Cetacean REA................................................................................................................... 455 Survey Methods................................................................................................................................................... 456 Visual Cetacean Assessment..................................................................................................................................456 Acoustic Cetacean Assessment .............................................................................................................................457 Cetacean Activities and Other Solomon Islands Marine Assessment Components...........................458 Passages Between Sites – Visual Cetacean Survey .........................................................................................458 Long Passages Between Sites and Islands – Visual and Acoustic Cetacean Survey.............................458 Anchored on Site – Canvassing of Local Community Knowledge on Cetaceans.................................459 Other Activities - Large Marine Life Sightings (Non-Cetacean) .............................................................459 Results and Discussion................................................................................................................................... 459 Visual Survey Results...............................................................................................................................................459 SI Cetacean REA Results Corrected for Active Survey Effort - Time and Distance..........................463 Acoustic Cetacean Survey Results .......................................................................................................................463 Cetacean Species Associations – Multi-Species or Mixed Groups...........................................................465 Environmental Conditions During the Si Cetacean Rea ........................................................ 465 Sighting Conditions .................................................................................................................................................465 Acoustic Listening Conditions .............................................................................................................................465 Non-Cetacean Sightings........................................................................................................................................ 466 traditional Dolphin Hunters of Malaita.........................................................................................468 The Fanalei and Bita ’Ama Communities .......................................................................................468 Other SI Cetacean REA Activities ...........................................................................................................475 SI Cetacean REA visit to the Gavutu captive dolphin facility ....................................................................475 International live dolphin export trade..............................................................................................................476 Potentially Significant Cetacean-Fisheries Interactions: The SI Purse Seine Tuna Fishery............477 Potential for Cetacean Watching in the Solomon Islands .................................................. 478 Recommendations ..............................................................................................................................................479 Capacity Building for Improved National and Local Cetacean Expertise ..............................................479 Addressing the Knowledge Gap on SI Cetaceans – A National Approach...........................................480 Short-Term Projects to Address the Knowledge Gap................................................................................... 481 Identifying Important Cetacean Habitats for Protective Management.................................................. 481 Conservation Options – Marine Corridors and Local Dolphin Resting Lagoons...............................482 Traditional Dolphin Drives - Fanalei.................................................................................................................484 The Case for SI to Become a Signatory State of CITES..............................................................................485 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................... 487 References...............................................................................................................................................................488 Tables ..........................................................................................................................................................................491 Figures.......................................................................................................................................................................497 Appendices................................................................................................................................................................510 447 Solomon Islands Marine Assessment Technical Report Executive Summary The Solomon Islands Marine Assessment – Oceanic Cetaceans and Associated Habitats was conducted from 10 May to 16 June 2004. Because of the broad and multi-faceted nature of the Solomon Island Marine Assessment’s activities and goals, this program was not designed as a dedicated cetacean survey. As such the Solomon Island Marine Assessment could not address certain species- or habitat-specific conservation and management issues for cetaceans – such as the estimation of relative abundances (which can only be estimated through more structured and periodic surveys). Instead, this program was structured as a Rapid Ecological Assessment on Solomon Islands’ oceanic cetaceans and associated habitats (the SI Cetacean REA) and included the following activities: 1. To conduct a visual and acoustic survey on Solomon Islands’ whale and dolphin species diversity, distribution, ranking of total individual count and their associated habitats (near shore, yet deep-water); 2. To canvass community knowledge on local cetacean sighting patterns, strandings and cetaceans’ role in cultural heritage and folklore; 3. To conduct an on-board capacity building program on cetaceans for local scientists and marine conservationists; 4.