Sea lions in Minister’s hands
Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:28 am – Posted by Kirstie_Knowles | 7 Comments
New Zealand sea lions once ranged right around our coastline, however today they are largely restricted to the isolated islands of the Sub-Antarctic – with over 85% of breeding at the Auckland Islands.
Each summer the Auckland Island squid trawl fishery takes to these water with large trawl nets that scoop up squid. As well as picking up squid however, the fishing nets catch a number of sea lions. As rule-maker & whistle-blower, one of the first questions facing the new Minister of Fisheries – Phil Heatley - is how many sea-lions can be killed this season?
It’s a tricky question really for an incoming Minister, who I’m sure will be aiming to set his mark on the direction of New Zealand’s fisheries management. New Zealand sea lions are a threatened species with an enormously restricted range and are still undergoing population decline. They are protected under the Wildlife Act and the Marine Mammals Protection Act. However, under the Fisheries Act, it is quite acceptable to kill them. It is even supported so that the fishing industry can catch squid.
A quota on the number of sea lions that can be killed has been in place for the last 16 years. Once the limit is reached, squid fishing activities must cease. Sea lions killed in other fisheries (i.e. scampi, southern blue whiting and hoki fisheries) are not included in this quota.
Since 2003, a more information rich but highly complex model has been used to set the quota. It is like a minefield trying to get your head around the facts and figures Last year, based on advice from MFish senior managers, the Minister made a controversial decision that greatly favoured the fishing industry – not the sustainability of NZ sea-lions. This was despite opposition from the MFish science and policy teams as well as the Department of Conservation.
With this in mind, I ask how does one make an allowable kill quota on New Zealand sea lions whilst maintaining the ‘sustainable New Zealand’ brand? Should the Minister support an allowable kill quota and if so, how many is acceptable? Or should they be saying no to the fishing industry – for the sake of the New Zealand Inc brand and the recovery of our depleted sea lion population?
I don’t think they should be allowed to kill ANY sea lions. This is a native, threatened New Zealand species for goodness sake! I don’t think they should be sacrificed for the sake of some fishing companies’ profits (they could use other fishign methods if they had to).
I agree.If this was japanese whalers there would be a public outcry so why are we so silent about our own sea lions???? Please Mr Heatley, do the right thing!
Hey we spend millions on cures for cancers surely we can come up with techniques to enable fisheries to eliminate sea lion deaths through fishing. The industry just can’t be bothered. The fisheries are depleting the actual food the sea lions need to survive so it is a double edged sword. As we deplete the squid also the sea lions.
Also for each sea lion killed there are usually a pup or two waiting for her return. When she doesn’t they starve to death.
Living in a region where the commercial fishing industry is a core part of the economy, there is enormous conflict in views between those who rely on the jobs to feed their families; stakeholders with quotas; recreational fishers; environmentalists; associated businesses that benefit from the spin-offs of fishing profits. For a while there when fuel costs had risen astronomically it looked like peak oil might solve some of the problems around fishing practices and the rape of the seabeds, i.e. lots of boats were tied up in the docks as it simply was uneconomic to go out. Time will tell.
A quota in my opinion is ridiculous. Killing sea lions should be illegal.
Even if there was a law it wouldn’t stop it from happening. Written laws have no power unless they are actively regulated, especially when they are laws dealing with fishing and boats at sea.
Having a quota sends a message that it is seen economically beneficial to kill a sea lion.
Having a law against killing a seal shows the government takes value in a sea lions life. And THAT they need to do.
Even though jobs are in jeopardy, killing of sea lions isn’t going to help the fish population or ones income. It’s an ignorant view to think that killing off a top predator is the answer to a lack of fish. Fish populations are decreasing and will continue to do so; unfortunately the fishing industry and its communities will suffer. This is the result of an industrialized fishing industry abusing a resource.
Sounds like the previous fisheries minister was a bit slack. Why should we be allowed to kill a threatened species. We go crazy other the Japanese ’scientific’ whaling, where whales are killed to eat, why aren’t going crazy over another threatened species being killed so we can eat. This is New Zealanders in New Zealand waters, so it is up to New Zealand to stop it. Think logically, man.
Still waiting for his decision by the way……