Five Hector's dolphins die in fishing nets prompting acceleration of protection measures

Tuesday, 20 March 2018

The Government is considering extending the ban on commercial set nets after five Hector's dolphins were killed in fishing nets last month.

But it's facing criticism from National over its stall of a planned rollout of cameras and observers on fishing vessels, which the Opposition says might have prevented the loss to the critically endangered species.

Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash says the Government is accelerating work to better protect endangered Hector's dolphins.

Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash said the nationally endangered dolphins were trapped in a commercial set net about six nautical miles north of Banks Peninsula on February 17.

The fishermen involved reported the incident to Fisheries Inshore New Zealand (FINZ) the Ministry for Primary Industries.

National Party spokeswoman for Conservation Sarah Dowie said the Government's commitment to the preservation of the threatened species had been called into question, following its delay of the rollout of cameras and observers on board fishing boats. It now needed to act with urgency to protect Hector's dolphins.

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'The deaths of these dolphins is distressing,' Nash said.

'The fisherman did the right thing by coming forward to report the catch, as legally required. There were no observers or cameras on his boat.

'The Chief Executive of FINZ advises me the fisherman deeply regrets the capture and has now decided to stop set netting in the area.

'I am also advised he appears to have been fishing outside the area closed to set netting, although MPI compliance staff are still assessing the incident,' he said.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said set nets had been banned in overseas jurisdictions to help save seabirds and seals.

New Zealand knew set nets were an indiscriminate way to fish, and put sealife, including dolphins, at risk.

National Party conservation spokeswoman Sarah Dowie said Government complacency on the rollout of cameras and observers, called into question its commitment to the protection of Hector's dolphins.

'We were going to role out cameras on commercial fishing vessels, based on good science. Obviously it would hold fishermen fisherwomen to account and basically give us good data with respect to by-catch,' she said.

'The Government has stalled this and they're they ones that need to start working with industry and stakeholders on something that's better, and do it fast.'

The Government was 'undertaking more reviews and not making decisions' - the produce of competiting interests between the Greens and NZ First, which had close ties to the fishing industry, Dowie said.

'The Greens made a whole lot of promises during the campaign with respect to the environment and the protection of endangered species. And then you've got NZ First, which is obviously pulling rank with regards to the fishing industry.

'Somehow they have to reconcile the two and in the meantime, Hector's dolphins are endangered and there needs to be plans put in place to protect the species.'

Dowie said the fishermen did the right thing under the circumstances, which should be recognised, but the loss of five Hector's dolphins in one go, was 'extreme' given the species' critical level of endangerment.

Official records show 188 Hector's and Maui dolphin are known to have been killed in set nets since 1973, but incidents were almost certainly under-reported and the real number was much higher, Sage said.

Ahead of the election, the Green Party called for an extension to bans on set nets, and Sage stood by this.

While Nash said this incident was an 'absolute tragedy' but it was important to take an 'evidence-based approach', and weigh up the economic and social cost on the 300 fishers who still used the nets.

Nash and Sage have identified a number of areas where more works needs to be done to protect Hector's dolphins.

The range of options includes:

- prioritising the development of a new Threat Management Plan for Māui's and Hector's dolphins

- reviewing the use of set nets in a bid to reduce or phase out their use

- considering extending the ban on set nets in the Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal Sanctuary further offshore

- encouraging voluntary closures of certain fisheries to set nets such as those recently put in place by commercial set netters to protect the hoihō/yellow eyed penguin off Southland.

- the role of observers and camera coverage on fishing boats

A longer-term review of the Threat Management Plan is underway, which will consider ways to better protect the dolphins from the risks of set netting and deaths caused by other human activity.

The review results were due back in August, but Sage had asked for the reports to be expedited, and discussions with stakeholders were expected to start in June.

'In light of this capture, I have asked officials to prioritise the development of a new plan. A revised TMP would include public and stakeholder consultation,' Nash said.

'There are an estimated 9000 Hector's dolphins off the South Island's east coast, and they are a sub-group of the wider South Island population of 15,000 mammals. Fisheries officials believe the east coast population may be declining.'

Fisheries Inshore New Zealand chief executive Jeremy Helson said the industry 'regrets this occurrence and that is why we alerted Minister Nash to it soon after we were aware'.

'The fisher involved is also deeply affected and has moved completely out of the area in which the incident occurred.

'We have moved quickly to suggest that MPI bring forward the review of the Hectors dolphin threat management plan along with measures that will help to prevent such an incident happening again,' Helson said.

'This incident is regrettable, unusual, and upsetting for all involved.'