Questions for NOAA

This is a partial list of questions for NOAA. Please feel free to include them in your comment to NOAA, as they will become part of a permanent record.

How much money and what other equipment loans or staffing was accepted by NOAA from Dolphin Quest, the captive dolphin swim facility?

Why does NOAA perceive a threat to the dolphins from human swim activity when it has adjudicated that the take of 11,000 Spinner Dolphins by navy testing and training activities will have only a negligible impact?

How many dolphins have died at captive dolphin swim facilities in Hawaii over the past ten years? How many specifically have died in Dolphin Quest facilities over the past ten years?

Can you provide a reference to any piece of research with a scientific conclusion that the data documents changes in behavior of the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins that are exclusively attributable to human swim activity?

Did NOAA officials discuss the intended use of the research in legislative changes before the public was made aware of proposed changes?

 Where can the public see details of the process (including credentials of the reviewers since the link on the NOAA website to a listing of peer reviews has been broken since the announcement of these changes in August), by which it was established that the SAPPHIRE project was free from conflict of interest, bias and meets the criteria for best possible scientific information available required by federal guidelines?

Where on the NOAA website are members of the public informed of the mechanism for complaints required by Federal OMB guidelines on Data Quality?

 Please explain the different standards that are being applied to dolphin take in the context of human swim activity, which is as yet unproven to have any detrimental effects, versus military training and testing activities which are known to cause temporary and permanent injury to the point of fatality.   The current authorization by NOAA to the Navy of the take of 11,000 Spinner Dolphins by the military definition of Level B Harassment – was granted on the grounds that it will have a negligible impact.  By contrast, the agency is representing that human swim activity poses a severe and urgent threat to the Dolphins necessitating immediate and draconian measures. Please explain the application of these different standards.

Please explain the potential conflict of interest posed by the fact that NOAA co-funded research with DolphinQuest, the operator of Captive Dolphin Swim Program which has a highly significant vested interest in one outcome of this policy.

Please explain the potential conflicts of interest in including the work of a scientist who receives research funding from NOAA and not disclosing that information.

What interest does a University in Australia have in Hawaiian Spinner dolphins?  Why was a study of Bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, W.A. used to discuss the behavior, find conclusions, and implement regulations of Hawaiian Spinner dolphins?

Ask again of the scientists: Who has studied Spinner dolphin behavior and resting behavior underwater? Do you think it is relevant to observe and record behavior while in the water with swimmers and resting dolphins, to watch the dolphins rest patterns while snorkelers observe while floating above them? 

Is there a financial gain for Dolphin Quest, and their partners who manage captive dolphins, if the public is disallowed from viewing them in the wild anywhere in the U.S.?

Pleases feel free to include any or all of these important questions in your comment for Option 1 to NOAA before October 23, 2016 here