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Powerboats are potentially a significant source of disturbance to coastal cetaceans. Information is scarce, however, on the nature of interactions between powerboats and dolphins, particularly when both surface and acoustic behaviour are combined. The surface behaviour and acoustic response of travelling dolphins to approaches by a powerboat were assessed by a series of experimental trials between November 2001 and November 2003 in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Dolphin behaviour was monitored continuously from an independent research boat before, during and after a powerboat approached (n=12). Treatments were interspersed with control observations (n=12). Changes in surface behaviour indicated differences between the treatment and control periods (z=2.24, p=0.025), with dolphins tending to alter their surface behaviour when exposed to the powerboat approach. Analysis also …