Assessment of the conservation status of a franciscana (<i>Pontoporia blainvillei</i>) stock in the Franciscana Management Area III following the IUCN Red List Process

Abstract

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the most widely followed and comprehensive inventory of the conservation status of species. Recently, the Red List programme changed in several ways including, revisions to the criteria for determining species statuses and the development of a process for challenging statuses. In the 2000 Red List, the franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei) was listed as Data Deficient, which indicates that data were insufficient to determine the status of the species under the Red List criteria but the species may be deemed to belong to a category of threat once adequate data for assessment are available. Because franciscana is possibly the cetacean species most impacted by anthropogenic activities, especially by incidental catches in gillnet fisheries in the western South Atlantic and because much data has accumulated over the last 15 years, all participants in the 4th Workshop for the Co-ordination of Research and Conservation of Franciscana in the Western South Atlantic (Porto Alegre, Brazil, 5-9 November, 2000) recommended that a reassessment of the species be performed as soon as possible. But due to the lack of the required information (from most regions) for assessment, the status of the species remains as Data Deficient. However, in this paper, we assessed the conservation status of one franciscana stock inhabiting waters off Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil and Uruguay (Franciscana Management Area III FMA III). The available information for FMA III resulted in this stock being classified as Endangered under sub-criterias 1d and 2d of criterion A (EN A1d+2d). The intention is to provide a case study (using the best known stock) to demonstrate the types of information and documentation required for a Red List assessment following the current criteria.Resumo A Lista de Espécies Ameaçadas do Livro Vermelho da IUCN é o inventário sobre o estado de conservação de espécies mais abrangente e consultado. Recentemente, o programa de avaliação do estado de conservação das espécies segundo as categorias da IUCN tem passado por várias mudanças, as quais incluem uma série de critérios quantitativos de avaliação, tornando o processo mais objetivo e rigoroso. Na Lista do Livro Vermelho editado em 2000, a toninha (Pontoporia blainvillei) foi listada como Dados Insuficientes, indicando que os dados necessários para realizar uma avaliação não estão disponíveis. Considerando que a toninha possa ser o pequeno cetáceos mais impactado por atividades antropogênicas, especialmente devido às capturas acidentais em redes de emalhe, no Atlântico Sul Ocidental e, porque uma quantidade significativa de dados tem sido produzida nos últimos 15 anos, os participantes do 4 o Encontro para a Coordenação de Pesquisa e Manejo da Toninha no Atlântico Sul Ocidental (Porto Alegre, Brasil, 5-9 de novembro de 2000) recomendaram que uma reavaliação para a espécie fosse feita com brevidade. Devido à falta das informações cruciais para a maioria das regiões, uma avaliação ao nível de espécie não é possível...

To ping or not to ping: the use of active acoustic devices in mitigating interactions between small cetaceans and gillnet fisheries

“…In addition, bycatch is known to threaten several other populations (e.g. franciscana Pontoporia blain villei, Secchi & Wang 2002; Hector's dolphin Ce phalorhynchus hectori, Slooten et al 2000; Baltic harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena, Berggren et al 2002). Considering that small cetaceans use sound both for communication and echolocation, it is not surprising that acoustic devices have been explored as a tool for reducing bycatch.…”

Incidental catches of franciscana in coastal gillnet fisheries in the Franciscana Management Area III: period 1999-2000

“…Ott et al, 2002;Secchi and Wang, 2002;Secchi et al, 2003b), and was first observed about sixty years ago in shark gillnet fisheries off Uruguay (Van Erp, 1969). Although gillneting in southern Brazil and Argentina emerged in the 1940s (Haimovici et al, 1997;E.…”

Dolphins, whales and porpoises : 2002-2010 conservation action plan for the world's cetaceans

“…Although the largest documented catches in the 1970s were in Uruguay, catches in recent decades have also been high in southern Brazil and Argentina (Praderi et al 1989;Pérez Macri and Crespo 1989;Monzón and Corcuera 1991;Secchi et al 1997;Secchi 1999). Available evidence suggests that mortality rates are excessive and unsustainable (Crespo 1998;Secchi and Wang 2002). Scientists in the three range countries are well aware of the need for more research and conservation action, but they need external support.…”