Scientists say Seafood industry should stick to the facts

Facing possible changes to the rules governing setnetting, the Seafood industry council (Seafic) yesterday encouraged the minister to base his decision on science.

Seafic claimed that no Hector’s dolphins have been caught in setnets since 2003, and that therefore modifying the existing setnet closures will not increase protection.

Otago University Associate Professors Liz Slooten and Steve Dawson, who have studied Hector’s dolphins since 1984, are the world experts on the species.

Seafic’s urging the Minister to stick to the science is ironic, Prof Slooten said, because “ Seafic completely ignores the science. Surprisingly, they even ignore their own science.”

“Two Seafic scientists and three NIWA scientists in 2008 estimated that between 2000 and 2006 some 110-150 Hector's dolphins were caught each year in commercial setnets. This estimate was based on data from independent observers on fishing boats. In addition, an unknown number are caught each year in unobserved trawl fisheries and in recreational setnets.”

More recently, between May 2009 and April 2010, independent observers saw three Hector’s dolphins killed on setnet boats fishing between Timaru and Kaikoura, Prof Dawson said, despite the new protection measures implemented in 2008.

Dawson explained that since observer coverage was 13%, some 23 Hector's dolphins are likely to have been caught in total. None of the boats without observers reported any bycatch.

“As conservation biologists, we agree that the minister should base his decision on the science, but Seafic should stick to the facts”, Prof Dawson said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media