'Marching toward extinction': Yellow-eyed penguin die-off may have fishing link

Thursday, 9 November 2017

Yellow eyed penguins (and a rabbit) at Katiki Point near Moeraki in Otago.

The sudden disappearance of many critically-endangered penguins from a predator-free island may be connected to fishing nets, researchers say.

The endangered Hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) has a population on Whenua Hou, also known as Codfish Island, in Foveaux Strait.

The native species is the world's most endangered penguin. It features on the $5 note and is frequently used in New Zealand's branding, but research shows it will likely be extinct on the mainland within two to four decades.

Researchers who last month returned from the remote island said areas once filled with penguins were empty and birds that used to be in pairs were alone.

The Hoiho features on the $5 note, but is projected to become extinct within the coming decades.

The cause was not immediately clear, but one researcher said set-nets from local fishermen may be responsible. The penguins foraged in the same area, and at the same depth, as the fish the nets were intended to catch.

* Unknown cause for mass penguin deaths

* Yellow-eyed penguin 'slipping toward extinction'**

Data from earlier this year suggested hundreds of penguins may be caught in set nets every year in events that go unreported.

The data showed 14 penguins were reported as killed last year. Almost all of which were found by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) observers, who inspected just 3 per cent of hauls.

Fishers are legally required to report any penguin bycatches to MPI.

Dr Thomas Mattern, who has studied the Hoiho for about 15 years, said the situation was dire.

'On the mainland, they've been in a more or less constant decline since the late 1990s,' he said.

'The way things are progressing right now, I fear that we're marching towards extinction.'

There had been examples of mass Hoiho die-off before, but they were localised in Otago and due to an unidentified toxin, potentially related to agricultural run-off. It was unlikely to have caused the die-off at Whenua Hou.

It is understood multiple researchers have raised set-netting as a likely factor.

'Whatever ends up in nets is either not reported or not happening. I tend to think it's the former,' Mattern said.

'I think set-netting is certainly a problem, but I think it's an issue of careless individual fishers rather than the industry as a whole.

'All it takes is one wrongly-set net and you can end up with heaps of penguins in one go. If you have a population of only 200 breeding pairs left on the mainland… if you take out 10 birds at once that might have the effect we observed further south.'

He wanted the issue self-regulated by the fishing industry, as the issues involved were 'highly political' and could constrain the Government from quick action.

'There's a lot of talking involved, and I personally don't think we have the time. I fear that if anything is going to be decided it will be too late.'

Advocacy group Forest & Bird has raised the issue.

Chief executive Kevin Hague said the reported die-off was concerning. Urgent action was needed from various groups, including the Government, to save the Hoiho.

'It's consistent with what's been observed in other nesting sites we're heavily involved in,' he said.

'It's indicative of a pattern of steep decline, which given this is the world's rarest penguin is very, very worrying.'

Set net fisheries were one of several 'poorly-managed risks' to penguins, but more evidence was needed to confirm what caused this particular die-off.

Given researchers pointed to the fishing link, Hague said it was crucial MPI rolled out its plans to put cameras on all boats to monitor their hauls.

'Having the actual evidence, as opposed to just speculation about what may be behind this precipitous decline in the species, is essential,' he said.

'If we don't have an urgency of action it's highly likely, I think, that we'll lose this species.'

The new Government has proposed to split up MPI, creating a new Fisheries department.

An MPI spokesman said the department would work with the groups involved to manage the impact of fishing on sensitive species such as Hoiho.

'We intend to work with the Department of Conservation, fishers, and others to identify and manage the impacts of fishing on this iconic species, and make sure it is given the best opportunity possible to increase in numbers,' he said.

'To make sure any measures are effective we are setting up a comprehensive research programme, focused on fishing risks, so we can understand what impacts fishing might be having, and identify possible ways to remove or reduce that impact.

'In the meantime we are stepping up our monitoring of the set net fisheries in the lower South Island so that we can keep a close eye on current fishing activity.'