Research Interests

Conservation biology of marine mammals, especially Hector's dolphin; Incidental catch of marine mammals in fisheries; Acoustic behaviour and communication in cetaceans; Line-transect surveys for inshore cetaceans

Relevant Publications

Bräger, S., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E., Smith, S., Stone, G.S. and Yoshinaga, A. In press. Site fidelity and along-shore range in Hector's dolphin, an endangered marine dolphin from New Zealand . Biological Conservation.

Slooten, E., Dawson , S.M. and Rayment, W. 2002. Quantifying abundance of Hector's Dolphins between Farewell Spit and Milford Sound. DOC Science Internal Series 35. 18pp. Department of Conservation, Wellington .

Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E. Pichler. F., Russell, K. & Baker, C.S. 2001. North Island Hector's dolphins are threatened with extinction. Marine Mammal Science 17(2): 366-371.

Bejder, L. and Dawson, S.M. 2001. Abundance, residency and habitat utilisation of Hector's dolphins in Porpoise Bay, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 35: 277-287.

Dawson, S.M., Read, A.J. & Slooten, E. 1998. Pingers, porpoises and power: Uncertainties with using pingers to reduce bycatch of small cetaceans. Biological Conservation. 84(2):141-146.

Dawson, S.M., and Slooten, E. 1993. Conservation of Hector's dolphins: The case and process which led to establishment of the Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal Sanctuary. Aquatic Conservation 3: 207-221.

Dawson, S.M. 1994. The potential for reducing entanglement of dolphins and porpoises with acoustic modifications to gillnets. Reports of the International Whaling Commission. Spec. Issue 15: 573-578.

Slooten, E. and Dawson, S.M. 1994. Hector's Dolphin. pp. 311-333 In "Handbook of Marine Mammals" Vol V, (Delphinidae and Phocoenidae: S.H Ridgway and R. Harrison, eds.). Academic Press. New York.

Dawson, S.M., and Slooten, E. 1993. Conservation of Hector's dolphins: The case and process which led to establishment of the Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal Sanctuary. Aquatic Conservation 3: 207-221.

Williams, J.A., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. 1993. Abundance and distribution of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand. Canadian Journal of Zoology 71: 2080-2088.

Slooten, E., Dawson, S.M. and Lad, F. 1992. Survival rates of photographically identified Hector's dolphins from 1984 to 1988. Marine Mammal Science 8(4): 327-343.

Dawson, S.M. 1991. Modifying gillnets to reduce entanglement of cetaceans. Marine Mammal Science 7(3): 274-282.

Dawson, S.M. 1991. Incidental catch of Hector's dolphins in inshore gillnets. Marine Mammal Science 7(3): 283-295.