THE TUNA-DOLPHIN CONTROVERSY IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC-OCEAN - BIOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL IMPACTS

Since 1959 several million dolpins have been killed in the purse-seine fishery for tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Through combined effo rts of the nations whose vessels participate in this fishery, annual d olphin mortality in the fishery was reduced from about 350,000 animals during the 1960s to about 15,000 animals in 1992. In 1993 10 nations implemented an international program to progressively reduce this mort ality even further, with a goal of eventually eliminating it. During 1 993, the first year of the program, it appears that dolphin mortality will be less than 4000 animals. An alternative program, which would im pose a moratorium on fishing for tunas associated with dolphins beginn ing in 1994, has been proposed. Controversy concerning the practicalit y and effects of the two programs centers around the morality of fishi ng for tunas associated with dolphins and the biological, economic, an d political impacts of each program.