The Distribution of Marine Mammals and the Selected Environmental Parameters, Associated with Fishing Gears Observed of Kuching Bay, Sarawak

Cetaceans are marine mammals that spent their whole life in the water, and exploited all types of marine, estuarine and major riverine habitats. This study aims to document the distribution of marine mammals and the fisheries... [ view full abstract ]

Cetaceans are marine mammals that spent their whole life in the water, and exploited all types of marine, estuarine and major riverine habitats. This study aims to document the distribution of marine mammals and the fisheries activities at Kuching Bay, Sarawak. Next, are to determine the possible relationship of selected environmental parameters with the distributions of marine mammals. Boat-based surveys which include line-transects method was conducted in our main study site. This study has sighted three coastal cetacean species which are the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis). Kruskal-Wallis test showed a statistically significant of pH (p = 0.027), salinity (p = 0.017) and distance to river mouth (p = 0.017) to the distribution of Irrawaddy dolphin and finless porpoise. There is an overlapping pattern between the distribution of fishing gears and dolphins. Highest number of recorded fishing gear, which is unattended drift net could be a main threat to dolphins in Kuching Bay as it has a long soak time which could result in by-catch fisheries. There are few threats faced by the cetaceans in the nearshore habitats of Sarawak waters that may put them at a higher risks including the by-catch fisheries, coastal development and pollution.