International Whaling Commission repeats warnings on Māui and Hector’s dolphins

The International Whaling Commission’s (IWC’s) Scientific Committee has once again strongly criticised the scientific basis for dolphin protection in New Zealand.

The IWC Scientific Committee reviewed and condemned the NZ Ministry for Primary Industries’ ‘Māui and Hector’s dolphins risk assessment’ model and what that means for dolphin deaths in fishing nets.

“The latest IWC meetings repeat the call for New Zealand to do better by these tiny dolphins, only found here”, says Christine Rose from Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders, adding that “Māui and Hector’s dolphins must be protected from trawl and gillnets, throughout their range, including harbours, if the species, and its distinct local populations, are to survive”.

The committee meeting was attended by dolphin research Professor Emeritus Liz Slooten who says “The latest MPI calculations show that Hector’s dolphin deaths in gillnets could actually exceed 1,000 per year, and there’s a risk that fishing could kill the entire Māui dolphin population in any one year.”

“Given these alarmingly high bycatch estimates, it is not surprising that the IWC retained its recommendation that New Zealand should immediately eliminate bycatch of Māui dolphins”, says Prof Slooten.

Christine Rose added “Current measures are inadequate, and too many dolphins are being killed by the fishing industry”. That’s why Māui and Hector’s dolphins are on the agenda at the IWC and in two courts – New Zealand’s High Court and the US Court of International Trade.”

“New Zealanders must put NZ dolphins on the agenda at this election too. A total ban on bottom trawling that kills Hector’s dolphins must be an election bottom line. And political parties must support complete protection for Māui and Hector’s dolphins throughout their range. The IWC’s latest recommendations make this clear”, says Rose.