The dusky dolphin (*Lagenorhynchus obscurus*) is a small, agile cetacean known for its striking black-and-white coloration and acrobatic leaps, commonly found in temperate coastal waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Unlike many fish species, dusky dolphins are not typically targeted by large-scale commercial fisheries, but they are incidentally caught (bycatch) in gillnets and trawl fisheries, especially in countries such as Argentina, Peru, and New Zealand. In Peru, dusky dolphins have historically been hunted directly for human consumption and as bait in shark fisheries, although legal protections have reduced this practice. In New Zealand and Argentina, the primary threat comes from accidental entanglement in fishing gear used for other species. Overall, while dusky dolphins are not the focus of a dedicated fishing industry, these countries have the most significant interactions with the species due to their coastal fisheries operating within the dolphins’ range.
| Rank | Country | Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | 6 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.