Three Hector's dolphins killed in net off Canterbury coast
Thursday, 21 February 2019
Three nationally endangered Hector's dolphins have been caught and killed in a trawl net off the Canterbury coast.
The vessel involved was about 30 kilometres north of Okains Bay on Banks Peninsula when the dolphins were discovered, according to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). A fisher reported the deaths on Monday.
In the past five years there have been eight reported captures of Hector's dolphins in trawl nets, seven of which have happened since December. The figures include the deaths reported this week.
Conservation group Forest & Bird has demanded an end to trawling in Hector's dolphin habitats.
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Spokesman Anton van Helden commended the fishers for reporting the deaths but said the industry and Government could not downplay the fact the dolphins are dying at unacceptable levels.
Hector's dolphins are among the world's smallest dolphins, growing to around 1.5 metres in length. They are only found in inshore waters around New Zealand, where around 15,000 are thought to remain.
Fisheries Inshore New Zealand chief executive Dr Jeremy Helson said there had been a 'regrettable and unprecedented' run of deaths. The industry was extremely concerned, he said.
'We are throwing all our resources into finding out why this is occurring with unusual regularity and we are heading down to Canterbury to talk to the fishers involved.'
There are two sub-species of Hector's dolphins: the South Island Hector's dolphin, and Māui's dolphin, found off the west coast of the North Island.
'Hector's dolphins are nationally endangered taonga and any capture is very disappointing,' Fisheries New Zealand inshore fisheries manager Steve Halley said.
Fisheries New Zealand, part of MPI, was working with the Department of Conservation to update a plan to manage threats to Hector's dolphins, including fishing.
Halley said the latest captures would be factored into the review of the plan.
'In the meantime, we are talking with fishing companies which operate in the area to better understand how this happened,' he said.