Marine aquaculture and, in particular intensive fish farming, have shown a large expansion in most Mediterranean countries over the last ten years. To curb predation, many marine fish farms employ control methods which exclude, harass or remove predators. One such method, predator netting, creates a physical barrier that protects farmed fish from attacks by airborne and underwater predators. The incidental capture of marine mammals by commercial fisheries is often a controversial and emotive issue. A potential impact on marine mammals as a result of aquaculture interaction is death or injury through entanglement in gear. BDRI researchers carried out the first attempt in the Mediterranean basin to obtain information on encounter rate, group size and incidental capture of bottlenose dolphins in a marine fish farm. The regular occurrence of some dolphins suggests individual preferences for the fish farm area. The incidental bottlenose dolphin capture observed in large, loose predator nets is cause for concern, as it is questionable whether or not the bottlenose dolphins in the area can sustain incidental capture of this magnitude. The information gained from this study showed the necessity for further regulations to be established, both in the use of predator nets and management of marine fish farms.Diaz Lopez B. and Shirai, J.A., 2008. "Marine aquaculture and bottlenose dolphins social structure". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 62(6): 887-894.Diaz Lopez B. and Shirai, J.A., 2007. "Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) presence and incidental capture in a marine fish farm on the north-eastern coast of Sardinia (Italy)" Journal of Marine Biological Association U.K, 87, 113-117.Diaz Lopez, B., 2006. "Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Predation on a Marine Fin Fish Farm:Some Underwater Observations". Aquatic Mammals 32(3): 305 - 310 pp.Diaz Lopez, B., 2007. "Bottlenose dolphin depredation on aquaculture and gillnets along the north-eastern coast of Sardinia" ACCOBAMS - MiPAAF. Rome, 10–11 September 2007. Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery.Diaz Lopez, B., Marini, L. and Polo, F., 2004. "Evolution of a bottlenose dolphins population in the North-Eastern waters of Sardinia (Italy)". In: European Research on Cetaceans - 15 (Ed- P.G.H. Evans). European Cetacean Society ECS, pp 70-73. Cambridge, UK. 2002Diaz Lopez, B., Marini, L.., Polo, F. and Brovelli, M., 2001. "Etologia del tursiope, Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821), lungo la costa nord-orientale della Sardegna". Talk presented at the "5 Convegno Nazionale sui Cetacei e sulle Tartarughe Marine CSC ". 6–9 December. Comune di Monte Argentario (GR), Italy.Diaz Lopez, B., 2005. "Interaction between bottlenose dolphins and fish farms: could there be an economic impact?" International Council for Exploration of the Sea Document CM 2005/X 10.Diaz Lopez, B., Marini, L., Polo, F., 2005. "The impact of a fish farm on a bottlenose dolphin population in the Mediterranean Sea". Thalassas international Journal of Marine Sciences , 2005, 21 (2): 53-58.Diaz Lopez, B., 2005 & Shirai, A., 2005. "A survey of anti-bottlenose dolphin control at marine fish farm". Talk presented at the 6o Convegno Nazionale sui Cetacei e sulle Tartarughe Marine CSC. November. Comune di Sperlonga (LT), Italy.
