Marine Mammal Stranding Program. Stranding data from the period January 1986 through 

 June 1990 were selected for analysis because reporting effort in Texas became consistent 

 begiiming in 1986. 



60 



CO 



50 



MEAN 



Q. 40 



-I 

 o 



o 



30 - ^ 



20 - 



o 



UJ 



Q 

 Z 

 < 



V) 10 - 



S2 U 84 85 as 87 86 09 80 

 YT>R 



Figmc 2. Yearly bottlenose dolphin stranding rqxsrts bom 



the Texas coast from 1982 through 1990. 



i^ftftFiFiA^i^ 



ZmKQ:>-Z-lC9Q.H->U 

 <UJ<Q.<333lijOOLLl 



-3ii-2<2-3'9<(nOza 

 MONTH 



Flgiire 3. Monthly mean bottlenoce dolphin stranding along 

 The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Texas coast, 1986-1990, with standard deviations. 



Network (TMMSN) was established in 1980 and stranding reports increased yearly through 

 1985 (Figure 2). After 1985, stranding reports remained more or less constant indicating 

 that marine mammal stranding detection and reporting had become somewhat consistent (G. 

 Barron, TMMSN, pers. comm., March 1991). Average monthly bottlenose dolphin stranding 

 rates in Texas were low during July through December (Figure 3) and no data were 

 available past June 1990. 



Daily air and sea surface temperature and salinity data were obtained from 

 NOAA/NOS, Tidal Datum QuaUty Assurance Section, Rockville, Maryland, for four stations 

 along the Texas Gulf coast (Figure 1). Air and sea surface temperature and salinity data 

 were available for only three sections of the Texas Gulf Coast (Table 1). Monthly dolphin 

 stranding rates were regressed against monthly mean temperature and salinity values from 

 each section. 



Table 1. Locations of Texas/Gulf of Mexico environmental data stations (sea surface and air temperatures, and salinity). 



36 



