Incidental capture of marine mammals in fishing gear is a major cause of concern. The
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) identified bycatch as one of the
serious threats to the marine mammals. The International Whaling Commission (IWC)
estimated that at least 308,000 dolphins and porpoises are killed in bycatch every year
in the world oceans. The Indian seas support 26 species of cetaceans and one species of
sirenian. Until 2003, knowledge on marine mammals of India was restricted to incidental
catch of different species in fishing gear. Between 2003 and 2012, the Central Marine
Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) undertook a research project on marine mammals and
conducted extensive visual sighting cruises onboard FORV Sagar Sampada in the Indian EEZ
and contiguous seas to explore diversity, distribution and ecological characters of this mega
fauna. The project also undertook a survey on the marine mammals that are incidentally
captured by fishing gea
