Media Release

10 August 2009

Fishing nets still a threat to Hector’s Dolphins

New Zealand’s Hector’s dolphins are the rarest dolphin species on earth. Entanglement in gill and trawl nets has depleted numbers by about three quarters and caused them to fragment into four genetically isolated populations. The North Island population, a subspecies known as Maui’s dolphins, numbers just 111 animals, is critically endangered and, with less than 30 surviving adult females, perilously close to extinction.

An estimated 110-150 Hector’s dolphins die in commercial gill nets each year. This level of mortality is ten times more than the species can sustain from all causes. New research from the University of Otago just confirmed that that despite new regulations introduced last year, fishing nets continue to kill Hector’s dolphins faster than they can breed.

After more than two years of public consultation, the newly introduced measures partially restrict gill netting and trawling in known dolphin habitat. British wildlife charity Care for the Wild International’s (CWI) Chief Executive, Dr Barbara Maas a former employee of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation says, “In view of the dolphins’ precarious status, marine scientists and conservation groups had called for full protection from entanglements to facilitate recovery. Fishing industry bodies, on the other hand, strongly opposed these restrictions and deny that Hector’s dolphins are in decline as a result of entanglement. In an effort to overturn the new protection measures they even challenged the new fishing laws in court.”

To test the effectiveness of the new measures and to assess whether currently unprotected area may have to be considered as no-fishing zones, the government also required some fishing boats to carry independent observers. “NIWA scientists calculated that robust estimates of dolphin net deaths demand around 80% observer coverage”, says Dr Maas. In reality however, the government’s observer programme only reached about four percent. New research from the University of Otago has now confirmed that if 110-150 dolphins die as a result of entanglement, only between zero and one dolphin death would be observed at this low level of observer coverage. There is therefore no evidence to suggest that the number of dolphins killed this year is lower than before the new protection measures were introduced. This means that the number of Hector’s dolphins killed is still ten times higher than what is biologically sustainable.”

In May, government observers witnessed one entangled Hector’s dolphin off the cost of Kaikoura. “The animal died in an area where dolphins are not protected, because the industry insisted that entanglements were highly unlikely here”, says CWI’s Barbara Maas. “Despite this error of judgement, the industry maintains that this death is proof that only few dolphins are dying. The new protection measures, it argues, are therefore unnecessary. But with low levels of observer coverage, this is exactly what we would expect to find and the industry’s conclusions are therefore not supported by fact.”

“The fishing industry is once again trying to block urgently needed conservation measures for a species that is teetering on the brink of extinction. It does so to save New Zealand’s gillnetting industry, which contributes less than half of one per cent to the country’s fishing revenue. In doing so, it threatens to bring down New Zealand’s “100% Pure” reputation as an environmentally responsible nation and a reputable tourism destination.”

The court’s decision on the fishing industry’s challenge of the new protection measures is expected before 1^st September.

For further information, please contact:

Dr Barbara Maas, Chief Executive, Care for the Wild International (CWI)

Phone: +44 (0)1306 627902, Mobile: +44 (0)797 987742, Email: bmaas@careforthewild.com

Mark Jones, Programme Officer, Habitat and Species Protection, Care for the Wild International

Phone: +44 (0)1306 627912, Mobile +44 (0) 794 7749475, Email: mark@careforthewild.com

Notes to editors:

1. Care for the Wild International (CWI)

CWI is a conservation and animal welfare charity that funds practical projects around the world. We make areas safe from poachers, rehabilitate sick or injured animals and provide sanctuary for those who can not return to the wild.  We also act as a global voice for wildlife through research, education and advocacy, and expose animal cruelty and wildlife crime.

1. Hector’s Dolphins Facts

• Hector’s dolphins are classified as Endangered by the Red List of Endangered Species. This means that Hector’s are “facing a high risk of extinction in the near future”.
• Numbers have declined from 21,000-29,000 in the 1970s to less than 8,000 today.
• Commercial and recreational fishing is responsible for almost 70% of Hector’s dolphin deaths. Because not all deaths are reported, this is a minimum estimate.
• Other threats include boat strikes, pollution, sand-mining, coastal development and harassment.
• Existing protection measures have failed to halt the species decline. Hector’s dolphins will only be safe into the future if all threats of commercial and recreational fishing are removed.

1. Maui’s Dolphins Facts

• Maui’s dolphins are classified as Critically Endangered by the Red List of Endangered Species. This means that Maui’s dolphins are “facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future”.
• Only 111 Maui’s dolphins survive.
• There are just 25 breeding females left amongst about 60 breeding adults.
• Females only have one calf every 2-4 years and do not reach breeding age until they are 7-9 years old. These species’ potential for recovery is therefore extremely slow.
• Maui’s dolphins prefer shallow waters up to 100m deep and are therefore highly vulnerable to nets.

1. Images and footage

Images and footage is available at www.careforthewild.com/files/pictures13