All species of dolphin are protected under CITES and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

There are a number of charities whose mission it is to raise awareness and protect endangered wildlife.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), is one of the leading global charities dedicated to the conservation and welfare of all cetaceans. Most of these organizations raise awareness, lobby government agencies, and advise on how to protect specific species.

There are also international treaties that protect cetaceans.

CITES or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, is an international treaty with 172 member countries. Dolphins listed in Appendix I cannot be traded commercially, this includes the Snubfin Dolphin, Amazon River Dolphin, indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin and the Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin. Dolphins listed in Appendix II can be traded commercially only if it does not harm their survival. All dolphins not listed in Appendix I are listed in Appendix II

The Marine Mammal Protection Act is a US law that prohibits, with certain exceptions, the taking of marine mammals in US waters and by US citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the US.