February 1, 2012

Maui’s dolphin death avoidable

Forest & Bird said Wednesday the avoidable death of a Maui’s dolphin in a fishing net was shocking and had brought the world’s rarest marine dolphin another step closer to extinction.

“We are outraged that this incredibly rare dolphin was killed in a set net in an area where calls for restrictions on set nets have been ignored,” Forest & Bird Marine Advocate Katrina Subedar said.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said in a statement Tuesday it believed that a dolphin reported accidentally killed by a set net off the coast of Taranaki was likely to have been a Maui's dolphin.

The Department of Conservation estimates there are fewer than 100 Maui’s dolphins left. One of the main reasons for the decline in their numbers has been set net fishing.

“This death was entirely avoidable. Forest & Bird, with scientists, other conservationists and the public have been pressing for Taranaki to be added to areas along the west coast of the North Island where restrictions are in place to protect Maui’s dolphins,” Katrina Subedar said.

“MAF claims this dolphin was caught outside its current known range but evidence of their existence in Taranaki – including video footage – has been around for some time.

“If we have any chance of protecting these endangered native dolphins, the government must immediately expand the set net restrictions to include waters around and south of Taranaki and also protect key foraging areas within harbours along the west coast of the North Island. It’s not rocket science.

“When there are fewer than 100 of Maui’s dolphins left in existence, a single death can make a difference to whether extinction can be avoided.”

News that the body of the dead dolphin was dumped at sea is incomprehensible. While MAF said this was normal practice, it is vital that as much information as possible be gathered to determine the cause of death and to study the animal to find out as much as possible about this critically endangered species.

“Information such as sex, age, size and DNA is very important to DOC in trying to save this species. DOC can identify many individuals and potentially learning which dolphin was killed could be very important when the species is so close to extinction.”

New Zealand is internationally recognised as a hotspot for marine mammals, with almost half of all species of whales and dolphins spending time in our waters. The government’s inaction on marine mammal protection was appalling, Katrina Subedar said.

ENDS

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