Photo credit: Dolphin Ecology Project
Florida program Dolphin SMART is striving to preserve wild bottlenose dolphins in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
The program hopes to engage local tour operators who offer dolphin watching excursions to become environmental stewards.
Dolphin SMART was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and National Marine Fisheries Service, together with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society and the Dolphin Ecology Project.
Here are Dolphin SMART’s 5 guidelines for observing dolphins:
- “Stay at least 50 yards away.”
- “Move cautiously if the dolphins display any signs of disturbance.”
- “Always keep the boat in neutral when dolphins are near.”
- “Refrain from swimming with, feeding or touching the dolphins.”
- “Tell others about the Dolphin SMART program.”
For more info, check out Dolphin SMART here.
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