Introduction: (page 3)
At least 29 cetacean species have been listed as members of the fauna of the Caribbean Sea (Debrot and Barros 1994; Debrot et al. 1998; Mignucci-Giannoni 1998; Ward and Moscrop 1999; Ward et al. 2001) . The cetaceans documented include six species of mysticetes (baleen whales) and 23 species of odontocetes (toothed whales). Appendix 1 provides a comprehensive list of the 29 species and their IUCN Status. Although many of these species have been studied in depth in other regions worldwide, findings on basic elements of their biology, life history, behaviour, population structure, distribution and abundance are scare for the Caribbean region.
Dominica is a small island in the West Indies situated between the two French islands. Roseau (15°18 ′ N 61°23 ′ W) is the capital city and is located on the western coast near the south end of the island. Currently, there are three commercial cetacean watching operators on the island. All of which service the western leeward coast.