About the Project

Understanding Interactions in the Gulf Between Anglers and Dolphins

Interactions between anglers and bottlenose dolphins occur throughout the Gulf. This project is designed to learn more about these interactions directly from the people who spend time on the water.

Recreational anglers, charter captains, for-hire operators, and others in the fishing community have firsthand knowledge and experiences that can help build a more complete picture of when, where, and how interactions with dolphins occur.

Why We Want to Hear from You

Every experience on the water is different. Dolphin interactions may vary by location, type of fishing, fishing practices, time of year, and many other factors.

By hearing from anglers throughout the Gulf, the project team hopes to better understand the range of experiences anglers are having, identify patterns and regional differences, and learn what members of the fishing community think is important to consider.

How You Can Participate

There will be multiple opportunities to join the conversation.

This public input forum provides an ongoing place to share observations and experiences, respond to discussions, and hear what other members of the fishing community are seeing on the water.

The project will also include virtual regional public meetings where anglers and other interested members of the public can participate in live discussions about their experiences and perspectives. Meeting dates and related information will be listed on this forum.

What Happens with Your Input?

The project team will review and summarize the information shared through the forum and public meetings. We will look for recurring themes, regional similarities and differences, observations about dolphin interactions, and ideas that emerge through the discussions.

The goal is to bring together the knowledge and perspectives of the Gulf fishing community to develop a better understanding of angler-dolphin interactions.