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21 October, 2014

Media Release

Young skipper takes out Hauraki Gulf conservation award

The Southern Seabird Solutions Trust congratulated Whitianga commercial longline skipper, Adam Clow, on winning the Hauraki Gulf Forum’s prestigious Holdaway Award.

The Holdaway Award recognises a leader who has made a significant contribution to conservation in or around the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

“Adam is a great role model when it comes to seabird smart fishing practices and the Trust is thrilled to see his efforts publicly acknowledged,” says Janice Molloy, Convenor of the Southern Seabird Solutions Trust.

“Adam is one of the leaders in the fishing industry who is active in doing all he can to avoid harming seabirds while out fishing. His passion for seabirds has also positively affected the attitudes and behavior of others involved in fishing,” says Janice.

Adam’s interest in seabirds was kindled after attending the Trust’s Seabird Smart Fishing workshop in Whitianga, and since then he has made two trips to Aotea/Great Barrier Island to help scientists band black petrel fledglings at the colony.

“Black petrel are a threatened seabird species that come home to the Hauraki Gulf to breed every summer. Fishing is the main threat to black petrels and the actions of fishers like Adam will make a difference,” says Ms Molloy.

Adam is a third generation fisherman and has been on boats since he was old enough to fish. He is a skipper on the Southern Cross, fishing out of Whitianga for OPC Aotearoa Fisheries.

In 2012, Adam won the 2012 Seabird Smart award presented to him by Prince Charles, patron of the Southern Seabird Solutions Trust.

Southern Seabird Solutions Trust (www.southernseabirds.org) is an alliance including representatives from the seafood industry, New Zealand government, WWF-New Zealand and Te Ohu Kaimoana, that takes a cooperative approach to seabird conservation.

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