Society lecture tonight.

It coincides with recent sightings of schools of dolphins off the Island.

The lecture entitled "Porpoises, Dolphins and Fisheries -- the Net Result'' will be given by Dr. Andrew Read of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, in Maine.

Dr. Read has spent a lot of time speaking to fishermen in Maine about ways to stop the often-accidental slaughter of cetaceans.

Bermuda Zoological Society spokesman Mr. Bill Scott said: "Efforts to save the world's larger whales have been largely successful, there is no imminent danger of losing species to extinction.

"The status of smaller cetaceans, dolphins and porpoises is not as reassuring. Several species are threatened and two face extinction within the next 10 to 20 years.

"Dr. Read will discuss the impact of accidental captures in commercial fishing gear and how co-operation among scientists, fishermen and environmentalist groups can influence this.'' Dr. Read has worked in Canada, the United States, the Gulf of Mexico and Latin America.

Tonight he will discuss three case-studies about the harbour porpoises of Maine, the endangered baquitas in the Gulf of California and Burmeister's Porpoise in Peru.

The major problems concern dolphins and porpoises caught in nets and dying or those killed by some foreign fishing nations.

Dr. Read has discussed the problem with fishermen who are now looking at changing their methods or avoiding areas where large numbers of cetaceans have been killed.

He said: "At first many of the fishermen were not responsive but then they looked at the environmental concerns and are beginning to work with us.

"However in areas like Mexico, where fishermen are living on the edge of poverty, it is difficult to ask them to cut back even more.

"What we are doing is looking for improvements to nets and other forms of technology.'' Dr. Read had read the recent reports of sightings of dolphins off the Island, and the story in The Royal Gazette , concerning a school of 30 to 40 dolphins sighted during a whale watch tour.

He said: "The dolphins were the kind that live out at sea in large groups.

They are bigger than the inshore variety that we have studied.

"It is surprising that Bermuda does not have any inshore dolphins because most islands like this do have some. It is a pity because this would be a nice place to study them.'' His work was featured in a recent article in National Geographic magazine photographed by Mr. Flip Nicklin who has spoken in Bermuda a number of times.

His illustrated lecture begins at 8 p.m., tonight in the Queen Elizabeth Hall of Bermuda High School. It is sponsored by the Bank of Bermuda. Admission is $6.

Dr. Andrew Read BIG SCHOOL -- A boat full of spectators watch one of a school of dolphins frolic off the Island last month.