The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (*Tursiops aduncus*) is a highly intelligent marine mammal found throughout the warm, shallow waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, ranging from East Africa to Southeast Asia and Australia. This species is not a fish but a cetacean, and while it is not widely targeted in large-scale commercial fisheries, it is subject to direct capture in certain countries, primarily for human consumption or use in marine parks. The top countries historically associated with the capture of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins include Japan, particularly through drive fisheries in Taiji, as well as the Solomon Islands and parts of Indonesia, where dolphins may be caught for meat or live export. These practices are controversial and have drawn international criticism due to concerns about animal welfare and declining populations, leading to increased regulation and, in some cases, outright bans. Most nations in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Australia and India, provide legal protection for these dolphins, and their capture is illegal. The global fishing industry’s impact on this species is therefore limited and highly localized, with conservation efforts ongoing to ensure their survival.
| Rank | Country | Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 3 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.