Department of Conservation

Aerial Survey of Hector’s Dolphins

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is seeking to engage a qualified supplier to carry out an aerial survey of Hector’s dolphins along the east coast of the South Island. The primary objective of the survey is to update existing data on dolphin abundance to support conservation planning and management. The scope includes the provision of aircraft, equipment, and personnel capable of executing systematic aerial transects across designated survey zones, in accordance with established marine mammal survey protocols.
The scope also includes trialling digital image capture alongside observer-based methods to enable direct comparability.