DOLPHIN RESEARCH - CROKER ISLAND and ARAFURA MARINE PARK

 Hi again

Dolphins have also been a significant part of our marine research recently. One day last week when the wind was light we headed northeast from Cape Croker to the southern part of the Arafura Marine Park. This is the most northerly marine park in Australia. We observed several pods of dolphins. As you can see in the photo below, the sea state was very flat. 

The map below shows to southern part of the Arafura Marine Park sitting to the northeast of Croker Island. 

Sometimes if we stop the boat dolphins will come and play around the boat however these were on the move to somewhere. 

The calm sea state produces great visibility in the water.

PhD candidate Natalee is standing at the bow of the boat with the camera. She provided the three great photos below. 

The researchers can identify dolphins by their dorsal fin as each has a different shape and different markings.

This one has a few 'war wounds'. 

Usually dolphins keep the eyes below the surface as they come up to breathe. The dolphin below has a good look at us while breathing. The researchers feel this pink face bottlenose dolphin may be a sub-species. 

Below we came across this 4m sawfish. These are endangered as their rostrums often get caught in fishing nets and/or their rostrums are sort after as a trophy to hang up on people's walls.  This one allowed us to get quite close and in around 1.2m of water.

Finally a short video starting with Garngi ranger Tyson and then the CDU vessel following us in Somerville Bay. 

Over recent months we have detected numerous Illegal Foreign Fishing Vessels (IFFV) around Croker Island. Most have been  hiding in creeks and in some cases even coming ashore. This is becoming a significant issue - but that will have to wait to the next post.

Cheers for now.

Bryan