> The following publication is now available. Abstract is below. > > Courbis, S. 2007. Effect of spinner dolphin presence on vessel and swimmer > activity in Hawaiian bays. Tourism in Marine Environments. 4(1):1-14. > > EFFECT OF SPINNER DOLPHIN PRESENCE ON LEVEL OF > SWIMMER AND VESSEL ACTIVITY IN HAWAIIAN BAYS > SARAH COURBIS > Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207, USA > > Questions have been raised about the effects human activity in Hawai> '> ian > bays has on dolphins. > Concerns about the effects of this activity have led the National Marine > Fisheries Service to begin the > process of enacting regulations to reduce the impacts of swimmers and vessels > on Hawaiian spinner > dolphins (Stenella longirostris). One step in evaluating potential effects is > to determine if dolphin > presence attracts swimmers and vessels into bays. In this study, numbers of > vessels and swimmers in > Kealake> '> akua, Honaunau, and Kauhako Bays were measured and related to > spinner dolphin presence. > In Kauhako Bay, mean number of swimmers per scan sample was significantly > higher when dolphins > were present, and in Honaunau Bay, mean number of kayaks per scan sample was > significantly higher > when dolphins were present. In addition to measuring the relationship between > dolphin presence and > vessel and swimmer presence, it is important to track vessel and swimmer > numbers over time and to > determine patterns of use in individual bays. This establishes trends in > human use of bays and allows > management on a more individual bay basis. During this study, Kealake> '> > akua Bay experienced significantly > more vessel and swimmer activity than Kauhako Bay. Numbers of one- to > three-person > kayaks, motorboats <6 m, and zodiacs were highest in Kealake> '> akua Bay. > Numbers of swimmers > from shore were higher in Honaunau Bay than in Kauhako Bay. Overall, numbers > of vessels and > swimmers in the bays were higher than in previous decades, and swimmers > comprised the majority > human activity in the bays. > > Key words: Hawai> '> i; Vessel; Swimmer; Stenella longirostris; Spinner > dolphin > > > Cheers! > Sarah > > Sarah Courbis > Ph.D. Candidate > Portland State University > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >
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