Public meetings to discuss management options for North Island Hector's dolphin

26 March 2001

Public meetings are to be held by the Ministry of Fisheries in Auckland, Raglan and New Plymouth over the next week to discuss proposed management options for the critically-endangered North Island Hector's dolphin population.

The current range of Hector's dolphin off the west coast of the North Island covers the area from Dargaville southwards to near New Plymouth. The available scientific information suggests that there may be only 100-150 Hector's dolphin remaining in this area. Hector's dolphin are generally found within four nautical miles of the coast and are seldom seen in sheltered harbour waters.

Following research suggesting that the North Island Hector's dolphin population may eventually decline to extinction, stakeholders agreed at a workshop in May last year that human impacts on North Island Hector's dolphin should be reduced to zero.

The Minister of Fisheries has now written to stakeholders outlining a range of proposals for the north-west coast to achieve this target. These include:

• Total closure to amateur set netting outside the harbours;
• Position reporting for all commercial set net, trawl, and Danish seine fishers;
• Options for controls on commercial set netting, trawling, and Danish seining outside the harbours;
• Observer or monitoring considerations for set netting, trawling, and Danish seining.

These proposals build on the meetings and discussions that took place in 2000 primarily between the fishing industry, the environmental sector, and researchers.

Public meetings to discuss the options will be held at the following times and venues:

9:30-1pm, Thursday 29 March
Marine Rescue Centre
3 Solent Street
Mechanics Bay
Auckland

6:30-9pm, Thursday 29 March
Raglan Town Hall
Bow Street
Raglan

6:30-9pm, Monday 2 April
New Plymouth Sportfishing Club
New Plymouth

Public submissions should be sent by Tuesday 17 April 2001 to the Ministry of Fisheries, Box 3437, Auckland or by email to: hectorsdolphin@fish.govt.nz.

Ends

For further information please contact: