Bottlenose dolphin movement depends heavily on the population. Some Atlantic dolphins are relatively resident, staying within familiar bays, estuaries, or coastal regions for much of the year. Others move seasonally along the coast or travel between nearshore and offshore habitats as water temperature, prey availability, and breeding conditions change.

Along the U.S. Atlantic coast, NOAA identifies migratory coastal stocks, including northern and southern migratory groups. These dolphins may shift along the coastline with seasonal changes, using productive nearshore waters at certain times of year and moving as conditions change. Some stocks are considered depleted, which makes understanding their movement patterns especially important for conservation.

Scientists study bottlenose dolphin migration and habitat use through photo-identification, acoustic monitoring, genetics, strandings, aerial surveys, and satellite-linked tracking. Because coastal and offshore forms may differ in behavior, genetics, and habitat use, tracking helps researchers understand which dolphins are present in a region, how they move, and where they are most vulnerable to fishing gear, vessel traffic, pollution, and climate-driven habitat shifts.