Short-Beaked Common Dolphin Short-beaked common dolphins are the most abundant cetacean species off the coast of California. They are year round residents although their distribution changes with the season. In fact, during winter it is not uncommon to see schools of short-beaked common dolphin from our lab. The dolphins are most likely following their prey, which moves inshore during winter months. The short-beaked common dolphin has the highest mortality rate of all cetacean species impacted by the drift gillnet fishery that operates off the coast of California. Only one management unit is recognized for the animals inhabiting these waters and it includes animals inhabiting the waters off the coasts of Oregon and Washington as well. The management unit is called the CA/OR/WA stock (Carretta et al., 2004). However, available data on dorsal fin coloration patterns, contaminant concentrations and reproductive seasonality suggest there may be more than one stock..( copy from NOAA)