Abstract

(…) In this study we used data collected from commercial dolphin-watching trips to determine whether there was any relationship between the probabilities of sighting bottlenose dolphins and harbor porpoises. Surveys were conducted from a 16m converted trawler that has been used for wildlife-watching trips in northeast Scotland since 1997. All trips were made in the southern part of the Moray Firth, within the area where aggressive interactions between bottlenose dolphins and harbor porpoises were first observed (Ross and Wilson 1996) and continue to be
recorded. All trips left from Buckie Harbor (57°40.91’N, 02°57.6’W), and the vessel traveled east within 2 km of the coast. Typically, trips started between 1100 and 1500, lasted for approximately 2 h (mean = 115 min, range 40-220 min) and covered approximately 10 km of coastline. (…)