Acoustic Detection of Franciscana Dolphins Near Artisanal Fishing Nets in Argentina

There is interest in the ability to detect the acoustic presence of franciscana dolphins in an area with active bycatch. To meet that objective, two-dolphin click detectors (F-PODs) were placed in two artisanal fishing gillnets in Claromecó (Buenos Aires province, Argentina). Narrowband high-frequency (NBHF) clicks were found near both gillnets, compatible with the description of the franciscana sound production. These preliminary results confirm that passive acoustic is a good tool to assess franciscana presences. Moreover, understanding the echolocation behavior around gillnets can lead to the design of better mitigation tools in order to reduce the bycatch.