2016 SoE Marine Chapter - State and Trends - Dolphins and porpoises

The Marine chapter of the 2016 State of the Environment (SoE) report incorporates multiple expert templates developed from streams of marine data. This metadata record describes the Expert Assessment "The state and trends of quality of species and groups – dolphins and porpoises". The full Expert Assessment, including figures and tables (where provided), is attached to this record. Where available, the Data Stream(s) used to generate this Expert Assessment are accessible through the "On-line Resources" section of this record.

DESCRIPTION OF TAXONOMIC GROUP FOR EXPERT ASSESSMENT Following taxonomic standards, 20 dolphin species in the Family Delphinidae and one species in the Family Phocoenidae occur in Australian waters. A number of these species (e.g. common bottlenose dolphins) are distributed nationally, others are restricted to particular latitudes (e.g. dusky dolphin) and others consist of populations that are highly restricted to embayments and tributaries within particular regions (e.g. the endemic snub-fin dolphin). DATA STREAM(S) USED IN EXPERT ASSESSMENT This assessment is based on peer-review papers and reports provided by a series of researchers working on dolphin and porpoises in Australia. Data on state and trends and associated spatial and temporal coverage are detailed in the publications provided in the reference list. Specific data products used to generate the assessment are not listed.

2016 SOE ASSESSMENT SUMMARY [see attached Expert Assessment for full details] • 2016 • Assessment grade: Good Assessment trend: Unclear Confidence grade: Limited evidence or limited consensus Confidence trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus Comparability: Grade and trend are somewhat comparable to the 2011 assessment • 2011 • Assessment grade: Good Assessment trend: Stable Confidence grade: Limited evidence or limited consensus Confidence trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus

CHANGES SINCE 2011 SOE ASSESSMENT The 2016 assessment is similar to the 2011 assessment. With very little information on most species abundances and no long-term monitoring of populations with which clear trends could be determined it was considered appropriate to alter the trend assignment to ‘unclear’ rather than ‘stable’.