15 October 2007

Facts needed in dolphin proposals

The fishing industry is at a loss to understand why sweeping closures of New Zealand’s coastline to fishing have been proposed to protect Maui’s and Hector’s dolphins when there is no evidence to support the need, New Zealand Seafood Industry Council chief executive Owen Symmans said today.

“No one has any idea whether the numbers of dolphins are increasing or decreasing. There have been no recent surveys. In some parts of the country where restrictions have been proposed there have been no dolphins seen for years, if ever.”

The number of deaths attributed to fishing is actually very small. Since 2003, when a ban initially proposed by industry was set in place, there have been no reported deaths of Maui’s dolphins from commercial fishing net entanglements.

“The tragedy of this is that these measures may do very little to protect the dolphins but may put people out of work,” said Mr Symmans. “We need to base decisions on facts to ensure the best possible outcomes for dolphins and people.”

“We have already supported various voluntary and regulatory closures. The Threat Management Plan (TMP) does not provide any evidence to justify additional closures. It also doesn’t provide any analysis on other factors affecting Maui’s dolphin mortality, such as natural causes, predation and disease,” said Mr Symmans. Option 3 in the TMP would close more than half of the New Zealand coastline.

He said the industry was happy to work with the Ministers of Conservation and Fisheries to put in place protection measures where there was a proven risk. To date the case for that risk had not been made.

Maps showing the full impact of the Option 3 proposed closures are available at www.seafood.co.nz/tmp

Hector’s and Maui’s dolphin facts

Here is what is known and proven:

Maui’s Dolphins

• Between 1988 and 2003 there were two Maui’s dolphin deaths attributed to commercial fishing net entanglement out of a total of 17 notified deaths
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• No deaths attributed to commercial fishing since 2003, when a ban was established for one nautical mile (1.8km) on that Coast where the dolphins live
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• Maui’s dolphins are a subspecies of the Hector’s dolphin that have become genetically differentiated by geographical isolation
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• The most recent deaths of Maui’s dolphins were attributed to Brucellosis,
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• No Maui’s dolphin death has ever been attributed to trawling
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• The vast majority of dolphin sightings are within 1.8km of the coastline
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• There have been no verified sightings within harbours
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• Current observer programme on west coast north island trawlers will spend 258 days monitoring that no Maui dolphin interactions occur.
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• Last year 106 days were observed and zero Maui’s dolphin were observed.
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• No recent or current research on pollution, health, fishing or other impacts on the population (no proof that fishing, or any other human activity, is the ‘biggest’ or most ‘significant’ threat)
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• The most recent aerial survey was in 2004 which estimated a population range between 48 and 252.
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• It is unknown whether the population is declining or increasing.
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Hector’s dolphin

• Since 2000 only 29 of the 123 confirmed deaths of Hector’s dolphins have been attributed to commercial set netting

• There is no recent research that reliably estimates the total number of Hector’s dolphins

• No recent or current research on pollution, health, fishing or other impacts on the population (no proof that fishing, or any other human activity, is the ‘biggest’ or most ‘significant’ threat)

• Annual mortalities attributed to fishing are less than 0.1% of population

• In summer found mostly in waters shallower than 20m deep and in winter found in waters 20m-100m deep

• South Coast South Island survey conducted in 1998 estimated population of 89 and a survey conducted in 2004-2005 estimated between 300 and 660

• No deaths attributed to commercial fishing South Coast South Island since 1988

• Nobody knows exactly how many Hector’s dolphins there are because there has not been enough recent research, but the accepted scientific estimate is 7,270 individuals (range between 5,303 and 9,966)

• There is no evidence available to determine if the population is declining or increasing

What has been said, but is not proven or is incorrect:

• Hector’s dolphins have decreased from 26,000 in the 1970s
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• Hector’s dolphins have decreased from 29,000 in the 1970s
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• Hector’s dolphins have decreased from 30,000 in the 1970s
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• 1000s of Hector’s dolphins are dying every year
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• About 600 Hector’s dolphins are dying every year
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• The biggest single threat to Maui’s dolphin is entanglement and drowning in set nets, and trawling is also a serious threat
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• Already this year 12 Hector’s dolphins have been reported dead on the West Coast.
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• Just 111 individuals [Maui’s dolphins] remain
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• Maui’s population includes just 25 breeding females
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• 60% of dolphin deaths are caused by fishing
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• 70% of dolphin deaths are caused by fishing
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• Maui’s dolphins were once found around most of the coast line of the North Island
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• A marine mammal sanctuary is the only measure that will protect Maui’s dolphins from all threats
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• Fishing industry objections focus solely on potential revenue loss
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ends

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