Top Bottlenose Dolphin Fishing Countries

The bottlenose dolphin (*Tursiops truncatus*) is a highly intelligent marine mammal found in warm and temperate seas worldwide, easily recognized by its curved dorsal fin and characteristic "smile." Although dolphins are not fish but mammals, some countries have historically targeted them for their meat, oil, and use in entertainment or as bait in fisheries. The primary countries known for bottlenose dolphin hunting are Japan, particularly in Taiji, where annual dolphin drives have drawn international criticism, and the Faroe Islands, where similar traditional hunts occur. In Peru, dolphins have been caught illegally for use as shark bait. While commercial hunting of bottlenose dolphins is banned or heavily restricted in most countries due to conservation concerns and international agreements like CITES, these localized industries persist, often under the guise of tradition or pest control. The global fishing industry for bottlenose dolphins is small and controversial, with most nations focusing on protection and ecotourism rather than exploitation.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.