Squid fishery kills 15 endangered sea lions

21 February 2007 - Wellington

Forest & Bird media release for immediate use

Squid fishery kills 15 endangered sea lions in first two weeks

The southern squid fishery has killed an estimated 15 endangered New Zealand sea lions in the first two weeks of the fishing season.

Ministry of Fisheries figures obtained by Forest & Bird show an estimated 15 sea lions were killed in the first two weeks after the southern squid fishing season opened on February 1.

Forest & Bird Conservation Advocate Kirstie Knowles says the figures show the fishery is well on its way to reaching the limit of 93 sea lions deaths imposed by Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton.

“The kill quota set by the minister is so high that it risks pushing this threatened New Zealand marine mammal towards extinction. We are deeply concerned that already 15 sea lions have been killed, suggesting that the fishery will once again be highly likely to kill the maximum number allowed before the fishing season finishes.”

“The number of observed deaths clearly shows that sea lion exclusion devices, mitigation tools voluntarily used by all vessels to prevent sea lion deaths, are not working effectively.”

Forest & Bird will continue to monitor sea lion deaths and has launched a web page posting the death toll as it rises (www.forestandbird.org.nz). It will also continue to pressure the Government to intervene to reduce sea lion deaths in the fishery by encouraging alternative fishing methods which do not harm sea lions.

Kirstie Knowles says it is disappointing that while attention has been focused on Japanese whaling in the southern ocean, the New Zealand Government has remained silent about the impact of the southern squid fishery on New Zealand sea lions.

“We wonder why this Government can demonstrate such disregard for an endemic, threatened New Zealand marine mammal, while at the same time speaking out about its concerns with Japanese whaling.”

The New Zealand sea lion is listed as a threatened species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and “vulnerable,” due to high risk of extinction, by the World Conservation Union. In recent years the sea lion population has showed steady decline, with an adult breeding population of just 5000. Pup production has declined by 30% since 1998.

Last year Jim Anderton set the sea lion kill quota at 93 for the current season – the third highest allowable kill in the last 16 years – despite a petition by Forest & Bird signed by more than 20,000 people calling for the quota to be reduced to as close to zero as possible.

ENDS

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