New Zealand Executive Government News Release Archive

The Minister of Conservation, Denis Marshall, said today that the closure of the Auckland Islands' squid fishery was necessary to prevent further Hooker's sea lion deaths.

"It is essential that commercial fishing does not compromise threatened species, such as Hooker's sea lion, that are accidentally caught by fishing vessels." Mr Marshall said.

"The fishing industry has been aware of our deep concerns for the survival of Hooker's sea lion for several years, but the numbers of sea lions caught by squid trawlers this year has risen to the level where it might have a significant impact on the species' breeding success."

Mr Marshall stressed, however, that the Department of Conservation is being proactive on this issue and is working closely with the fishing industry and the Ministry of Fisheries to solve the problem of bycatch of protected species in commercial fishing operations.

"The Department of Conservation is responsible for administering a number of projects, which have been funded through Vote Conservation and Conservation Services Levies collected from the fishing industry, to investigate and attempt to solve bycatch problems," Mr Marshall said.

These projects include: - Increased observer coverage for the Auckland Islands' squid fishery and other fisheries with a significant bycatch of protected species; - A long term research programme to assess the status and trends of the Hooker's sea lion population, and the foraging behaviour of sea lions with respect to fishing activity; - A research programme to trial a device inserted into a trawl net that will allow sea lions and other marine mammals taken by trawlers to escape before drowning. This programme is being undertaken in association with a number of research institutions in Europe. - A carcass retrieval programme through which animals taken as bycatch will be returned to shore for thorough autopsies to be performed; - Development of a Population Management Plan to provide a framework for future management options that will allow the continuation of commercial fishing without unacceptable impacts on the sea lion population.

"These projects will provide a great amount of useful information that will, I hope, lead to a permanent solution to the problem of bycatch, and will allow commercial fishing to take place without any significant impact on protected species of marine wildlife," Mr Marshall concluded.

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