3.3. Fishing net
Beta regression analyses indicated the proportion of net interaction
strandings relative to total strandings for loggerhead sea turtles was increasing (p < 0.05); no significant trends were observed
for other species. External FN entanglements were most
commonly found on the body for dolphins (66.7%) and manatees
(40.0%), and on the flippers for sea turtles (26.4%). Based on external
examination, one stranded dolphin was found to have fishing
net in the mouth. Upon further investigation from necropsy reports,
1 out of 4097 manatees and 1 of 1404 dolphins were observed
with net in the GI tract. Although FN entanglements were
found to occur throughout the state, only one hot spot region
was documented on the central east coast, from Volusia to Martin
counties, encompassing 47.7% of all FN strandings.