Female Dolphin In Distress on Quogue Beach Dies; Atlantic Marine Conservation Society Will Perform Necropsy – 27East

Marine Life Incident Report: Quogue Dolphin Stranding and Sustainable Development Goal Implications

1.0 Incident Summary

• Subject: Deceased female common dolphin (Delphinus delphis).
• Location: Beach in Quogue Village.
• Status: The animal was discovered in distress and subsequently perished prior to recovery.

2.0 Response and Collaborative Action: Addressing SDG 17

The response to the incident serves as a case study for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals, which promotes collaboration to achieve sustainable development.

1. A multi-sector partnership was activated for the recovery of the marine mammal.
2. Key collaborators included:
   • Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), a scientific and civil society organization.
   • Quogue Village municipal workers, representing a local public entity.
3. This joint effort, which involved assistance from village personnel and equipment, ensured the efficient retrieval of the carcass, demonstrating an effective public-civil society partnership for environmental action.

3.0 Scientific Investigation and Link to SDG 14: Life Below Water

The subsequent investigation directly supports the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, which aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources.

• The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society will conduct a necropsy to ascertain the cause of death.
• This scientific procedure is critical for monitoring the health of marine ecosystems and identifying threats to biodiversity.
• By gathering data on mortality causes, this work contributes to Target 14.1 (prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution) and Target 14.2 (sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems).
• The findings will enhance the scientific knowledge base required to implement effective conservation strategies and protect vulnerable marine species.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The primary Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) addressed in the article is:

   • SDG 14: Life Below Water – This goal aims to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.” The article’s entire focus is on a marine animal (a common dolphin), its death, and the response by a marine conservation society. This directly relates to the health and protection of marine life and ecosystems.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets under SDG 14 can be identified:

   • Target 14.1: “By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.” The necropsy to be performed by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society is a scientific procedure to determine the cause of death. This investigation could reveal if the dolphin’s death was caused by pollution, such as plastic ingestion or entanglement, which are key concerns of this target.
   • Target 14.2: “By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts…” The death of a dolphin is a significant adverse impact on the marine ecosystem. The actions of the conservation society to retrieve the animal and investigate the death are part of the broader effort to understand threats and protect these ecosystems.
   • Target 14.a: “Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology… in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries…” The necropsy is a direct application of scientific research to increase knowledge about the threats facing marine life. The data gathered helps improve the understanding of ocean health and informs conservation strategies.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article does not mention official UN indicators, but it implies practical indicators that can be used to measure progress:

   • For Target 14.1, an implied indicator is the cause of death in stranded marine animals. The results of the necropsy contribute data to this indicator. A high incidence of death due to pollution would indicate a failure to meet this target, while a decrease would show progress.
   • For Target 14.2, an implied indicator is the number and frequency of marine mammal stranding events. This specific incident of a dolphin washing ashore is a data point for this indicator. An increase in such events suggests declining ecosystem health.
   • For Target 14.a, an implied indicator is the number of scientific investigations (like necropsies) conducted on marine life to understand mortality and environmental threats. The action of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society is an example of this research activity, which contributes to the overall body of scientific knowledge.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators (Implied from the article)
   SDG 14: Life Below Water	14.1: Reduce marine pollution.	Data on the cause of death in marine animals, specifically mortality linked to pollution (e.g., from necropsy results).
   SDG 14: Life Below Water	14.2: Protect and restore marine and coastal ecosystems.	The number and frequency of marine animal stranding events as a measure of ecosystem health.
   SDG 14: Life Below Water	14.a: Increase scientific knowledge and research capacity.	The number of scientific research activities, such as necropsies, performed to understand threats to marine life.

Source: 27east.com