The IOTC Secretariat has finalised the development of field identification cards for cetaceans in the Indian Ocean. The cards were developed by an independent consultant, Dr Gill Braulik, in collaboration with the Working Party on Ecosystems and Bycatch at the request of the Scientific Committee. This guide is a tool for the identification of the main cetacean species interacting with pelagic fisheries for tuna and tuna-like species. It is a small-sized, waterproof, pocket guide intended for use onboard vessels by fishers and scientific observers to improve the quality of the data collected in the IOTC Area of Competence.
The identification cards were produced in English and will shortly be published and printed in French and other priority languages identified by the Working Party on Ecosystems and Bycatch thanks to support from the Marine Mammal Commission. Please send enquiries regarding hard copies to [email protected].
You may download the identification cards from the following link: http://iotc.org/science/species-identification-cards