WE HAVE TO WRAP UP SUMMER. KRISTI. >> Kristi: NOT BREAKING OUT THE
BOOTS YET, OKAY.
THANKS BETTY
>>> BISCAYNE BAY IS STILL
REELING FROM THE SECOND FISH
KILL IN AS MANY YEARS.
MARINE LIFE CONTINUES TO
STRUGGLE WITH THE CURRENT
DEGRADATION OF THE WATER SHED.
THOUGH IT IS MOSTLY THE BOTTOM
DWELLERS OF SLOW MOVING FISH
THAT DIED DURING THE
CATASTROPHIC EVENTS SCIENTISTS
ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE
IMPACT BEING FELT BY ALL LIFE IN
THE BAY.
>> Louis: INDEED.
IN TONIGHT’S DON’T TRASH OUR
TREASURE.
WE HEAD BACK OUT ON THE WATER
FROM RESEARCHERS FROM F.I.U.
STUDYING HOW OUR DOLPHINS ARE
SURVIVING THROUGH THESE VERY
CHALLENGING TIMES.
>> THESE ARE THE REAL MIAMI
DOLPHINS.
>> Louis: THEY ARE FOR MANY, THE
MOST BELOVED MARINE ANIMALS
LIVING IN BISCAYNE BAY.
>> OH.
>> Reporter: SOUTH FLORIDA’S
UNOFFICIAL MASCOT.
BUT FOR HOW MUCH LONGER?
>> WE THINK THERE’S ABOUT 150
ANIMALS ACROSS THE ENTIRE BAY.
>> Reporter: DR. JEREMY KISS SKA
SKAIS THE LEAD DOLPHIN
RESEARCHER AT F.I.U.’S INSTITUTE
OF ENVIRONMENT.
>> HEY.
>> Reporter: CURRENTLY
COLLABORATING ON A NOAA STUDY
LAUNCHED IN 1990, DOCUMENTING
THE BISCAYNE BAY DOLPHIN
POPULATION.
>> HI BABIES.
>> WE SIMPLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND
WHERE THESE ANIMALS ARE, HOW
MANY THERE ARE, AND HOW THEY USE
THEIR HABITATS.
>> Reporter: IT IS URGENT
RESEARCH.
WITH THE THE BAY RAPIDLY
DECLINING.
>> YES.
>> Reporter: KISKA IS WORRIED
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE
POPULATION.
>> THEY LIVE IN A REALLY
CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT.
BISCAYNE BAY DOLPHINS DON’T HAVE
AN EASY LIFE.
>> Reporter: AND IT IS GETTING
HARDER EVERY DAY.
THEIR FORAGING HABITATS ARE
DISAPPEARING FAST.
MANY OF THE SEA GRASS BEDS IN
THE NORTHERN BAY NOW GONE
BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE LAND BASED
POLLUTANTS THAT CONTINUE THE
FLOW INTO THE WATER SHED.
>> THEY REALLY DEPEND ON SEA
GRASS.
BECAUSE SEA GRASS, IN SEA GRASS
BED, YOU HAVE THE FOOD, THE
DOLPHIN FOOD, HAVE YOU THE FISH.
>> Reporter: AS THE SEA GRASS
DIS
DISAPPEARS, SO WILL THE FISH.
AND SO TOO WILL THE DOLPHINS WHO
FEED ON THEM.
>> WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND IS HOW THESE ANIMALS
RESPOND TO ALL OF THESE
DISTURBANCES THAT ARE HAPPENING
IN THE BAY.
>> Reporter: ONCE A WEEK, DR.
DR. KISKA AND HIS TEAM SET OUT
ON THE BAY TO FIND AND RECORD AS
MANY DOTH ENCOUNTERS AS WE CAN.
ON THIS DAY WE GET SUPER LUCKY.
>> THEY’RE SUPER COOL.
YES.
WAHOO.
YES. WAHOO. >> Reporter: 40 MINUTES INTO THE
FIRST JOURNEY THE FIRST POD
FORAGING FOR FOOD SOUTH OF THE
RICKENBACKER CAUSEWAY.
WE OBSERVE BUT TRY TO KEEP OUR
DISTANCE SO AS NOT TO DISTURB
THEM.
>> Reporter: --
>> APPROACH RESPECTFULLY.
>> Reporter: BUT BEFORE LONG,
THE NATURAL CURIOUS COME IN FOR
A CLOSER LOOK.
IT IS PAY DAY FOR KISKA WHO
PHOTOGRAPHS EACH ANIMAL
PHOTOGRAPHING THEM CREATING A
BISCAYNE BAY DOLPHIN CENSUS.
>> WHILE THE DORSAL FIN OF
DOLPHINS IS LIKE THEIR
FINGERPRINT.
SO WE CAN IDENTIFY EACH OF THE
ANIMALS IN BISCAYNE BAY BY THE
SHAPE AND THE NOTCHES AND NICKS
THAT THEY HAVE ON THE TRAILING
EDGE OF THE DORSAL FINS.
>> Reporter: BEFORE LONG OUR
BOAT IS SURROUNDED.
AND WE REALIZE IT IS NOT JUST
ONE POD BUT TWO WHO HAVE COME
TOGETHER TO FEED.
>> THERE ARE DOLPHINS EVERYWHERE
AROUND THIS BOAT.
THERE’S GOT TO BE AT LEAST 15
DOLPHINS, IF NOT MORE.
>> YEAH.
>> Reporter: THE GOOD NEWS IS WE
SAW AT LEAST FIVE CALVES IN THIS
GROUP.
>> WHENEVER WE SEE FEMALES WITH
CALVES WE’RE REALLY EXCITED
BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE POPULATION
IS REPRODUCING.
>> Reporter: STILL IT IS AN
UPHILL STRUGGLE FOR THE BISCAYNE
BAY DOLPHINS, THERE ARE MORE
BOATERS THAN EVER BEFORE AND
MORE POLLUTION.
>> THERE’S POLLUTION.
POLLUTION IS A PROBLEM THAT
AFFECTS PREPRODUCTION.
AND THERE’S DISTURBANCE WHENEVER
PEOPLE OR TOO MANY PEOPLE ON THE
WATER THEY APPROACH ANIMALS TOO
CLOSE THEY DISRUPT THEIR
BEHAVIOR.
>> Reporter: THE 1972 MARINE
PROTECTION ACT MANDATES THAT THE
PUBLIC STAY 50 YARDS AWAY WHEN
OBSERVING DOLPHINS IN THE WILD.
BUT IF WE’RE REALLY GOING TO
PROTECT THEM, WE HAVE TO DO A
LOT MORE THAN JUST KEEP OUR
DISTANCE.
OUR ACTIVITY NOT JUST ON WATER
BUT ON LAND HAS A DIRECT IMPACT
ON THE SURVIVAL OF THE
POPULATION.
KISKA SAYS THE FUTURE OF THE
BISCAYNE BAY DOLPHINS DEPENDS ON
ALL OF US.
>> IF THE BAY IS POLLUTED, THESE
ANIMALS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE
TO SURVIVE THAT LONG.
SO IF WE’RE NOT PROTECTING
BISCAYNE BAY AND THEIR HABITAT,
THEY WILL DISAPPEAR ONE DAY.
>> Louis: KISKA IS ADVOCATING
THAT PARTS OF BISCAYNE BAY BE
DESIGNATED A MARINE PROTECTED
AREA TO GIVE THE BAY AND ITS
MARINE LIFE A BREAK FROM ALL OF
THE HUMAN PRESSURE.
MEANWHILE LAWMAKERS AT THE STATE
AND LOCAL LEVELS ARE LOOKING
INTO SHUTTING DOWN THE BAY SPOIL
ISLANDS TO ALL MOTOR BOATERS AND
WATER CRAFT USERS TO LESSON THE
POLLUTION LOAD STRANGLING THE
WATER SHED.