The bottlenose dolphin is the most studied cetacean in British inshore waters, with populations at Cardigan Bay and Moray Firth subject to research and welfare management of tourism disturbance and bycatch threats.
Bottlenose dolphin welfare is affected by boat disturbance from wildlife tourism and recreational vessels that causes stress, alters natural behaviour, and can separate mothers from calves. Bycatch mortality in creel and net fisheries affects small populations where individual deaths have significant demographic consequences. The high intelligence and complex social structure of bottlenose dolphins means any welfare harm has impacts across the social group. Marine protected area designations provide partial but incomplete protection.