WWF welcomes local government stance

3 May 2007

WWF welcomes local government stance to protect Maui's dolphins

Exactly one month after WWF-New Zealand launched an online petition calling for better protection for Maui's dolphins, local government has sent the same message to the Minister of Fisheries and the Minister of Conservation.

WWF-New Zealand is today welcoming the new local government petition which strengthens the message of urgency for the Minister of Fisheries and the Ministery of Conservation to protect the critically endangered Maui's dolphin. "The local government petition comes exactly one month after our public petition which has gathered support from over 14,000 people.

This shows there is strong public support for the protection for Maui's, and today's petition shows local government wants this too - the Ministers must by now get the message that we're all sending: New Zealanders don't want to become the world's first developed nation to drive a marine dolphin to extinction," said Chris Howe, exective director of WWF-New Zealand.

Maui's are the rarest marine dolphins in the world - due to human activity, they are on the brink of extinction with around just 110 Maui's left. WWF believes that without immediate protection, they could be extinct within a generation.

Auckland Regional Council deputy chair Christine Rose sent the local government petition calling for increased protection for Maui's to Jim Anderton and Chris Carter. The petition was signed by the Chairs of Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regional councils along with the Mayor of Rodney District and some councillors in those areas. It calls for an extention to the existing set net ban, a marine mammal sanctury and a species recovery plan for Maui's.

"This is a significant move from local government and we're delighted they have taken this stance which sends a strong message to the ministers," comments Rebecca Bird, WWF-New Zealand Senior Marine Campaigner. "The ministers have responded by issuing reassurances that a draft Threat Management Plan is in consultation. But what we need is action, not reassurances.

"We officially challenged the government to introduce a species recovery plan for Maui's in November 2004, but to date they haven't brought in any significant measures that give Maui's a fighting chance of survival. The reality is that unless we act now to remove all the human threats to Maui's, they could be extinct within a generation."

WWF is asking New Zealanders to sign the petition online at wwf.org.nz. The petition is calling for the government to:

* Implement an effective action plan for the recovery of the species

* Introduce a total ban on set nets within New Zealand territorial waters (out to 12 nautical miles)

* Introduce a total ban on trawling in nearshore waters shallower than 100 meters in depth

* Identify, manage and mitigate all other potential threats to Hector's and Maui's to ensure their future survival and recovery For more information, and to sign WWF's petition go to www.wwf.org.nz.

ENDS

© Scoop Media