Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Campaign Launch to Highlight Dolphin By-catch

MEDIA ADVISORY

Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders

21 October 2015

Campaign Launch to Highlight Dolphin By-catch

A new campaign is being launched at 2pm on Sunday 1 November at the Onehunga pedestrian overbridge, near Onehunga Port, to highlight the by-catch risk to New Zealand’s endangered Māui and Hector’s dolphins.

Māui and Hector’s dolphins are the world’s smallest, rarest and “loveliest” marine dolphins, say campaign organisers from the conservation group Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders.

However, scientists suggest at least three Māui dolphins are caught every year in New Zealand’s inshore fishing effort. 2010-11 figures estimated only 55 Māui dolphins remain, and the population cannot sustain a single human induced death in 10-23 years if the species is to survive. 95% of Māui and Hector’s dolphin deaths have been caused by gill net entrapment, where the cause of death is known, according to Department of Conservation figures.

“Clearly this type of fishing and the dolphins’ survival is incompatible” says Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders Chair, Christine Rose. ‘This campaign reminds New Zealanders to think of the dolphins when they buy inshore fish species. Only when recreational and commercial gillnets are removed from the dolphins’ habitat will they be safe from extinction”.

“The campaign is also a reminder against complacency. After the last Māui dolphin net entrapment, the Minister of Conservation of the time, Nick Smith, now Minister for the Environment, promised to increase fisheries observer coverage to 100% in the core Māui habitat over four years, to clarify and quantify dolphin deaths. At last update almost two years in, only 11%, or 54 of 475 fishing days had observer coverage.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“This campaign calls on the Government to honour its commitment to 100% observer coverage in core Māui habitat, and reminds the New Zealand public of their role in either saving Māui and Hector’s dolphins, or supporting their extinction.”

The campaign launch takes place near Onehunga Port, landing point for much of the fish caught in Māui habitat. The public are invited to attend and to bring painted dolphins. By-catch information will be released as part of graphic new campaign collateral.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.