Conkouati-Douli National Park (CDNP), Republic of Congo

Conkouati-Douli National Park (CDNP), Republic of Congo

Work on Atlantic humpback dolphins in Conkouati-Douli National Park (CDNP) began in 2009 and continued uninterrupted until 2016. The project was led by WCS in partnership with the Congolese National Parks agency, local NGOs and fishing communities. The park is one of two that straddle the Congo-Gabon border (the other being Mayumba National Park in Gabon) and combined they protect over 120 km of some of the most important Atlantic humpback dolphin (AHD) habitats in Central Africa. CDNP is home to a small but active artisanal fishery, comprising ~12 landing sites. Fishers use hand-paddled dug-out pirogues to set gillnets in near-shore waters. These nets occasionally catch dolphins such as the AHD, and although captures are rare (3-4 per year) they are very likely to be unsustainable; using data derived from a systematic beach based survey methodology, the local population of AHD was estimated at 50-80 individuals.

The project worked to raise awareness of the species and its threats among fishing communities, and to begin the process of engaging fishermen in necessary efforts to reduce captures. This led to the development of a voluntary reporting scheme for dolphin bycatches, the development of highly detailed maps of artisanal fishing effort, and commitments by some fishermen to trial different gear types to assess if replacing nets is a viable option. The project has been suspended for the past four years, but several project proponents are members of the CCAHD, and hope to resume work in 2021.

Tim Collins
Wildlife Conservation Society and CCAHD

More information:

1. Collins, T., Strindberg, S., Mboumba, R., Dilambaka, E., Thonio, J., Mouissou, C., . . . Rosenbaum, H. (2013a). Progress on Atlantic humpback dolphin conservation and research efforts in Congo and Gabon. Document presented to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission, SC/65a/SM16 Rev, 24.
2. Collins, T., Strindberg, S., Mboumba, R., Dilambaka, E., Thonio, J., Mouissou, C., . . . Rosenbaum, H. (2013a). Progress on Atlantic humpback dolphin conservation and research efforts in Congo and Gabon. Document presented to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission, SC/65a/SM16 Rev, 24.