New Hector’s dolphin deaths no suprise
12 February 2019
2018 was a bad year for Hector’s dolphins. In January 2018, five Hector’s dolphins died in a single gillnet off Banks Peninsula. The following December, a single trawl net killed a further three in the same area, and a fourth off Timaru. Overall, 12 of 16 reported deaths with a known or likely cause were the result of fishing. “The number of dolphin deaths that are reported are of course only the tip of the iceberg,” says Thomas Tennhardt, Chair of NABU International. Over the past 40 years, fishing nets have killed all but a third of all Hector's dolphins and more than 95 percent of their closely related North Island cousins, the Māui dolphin. We have known what kills them for many years, yet overall a staggering four fifth of their habitat is unprotected against trawling and the use of gillnets." “Gillnetting and trawling are the main causes of dolphin bycatch around the world,” explains Tennhardt. “However, the fishing industry has denied that trawl nets kill Hector’s and Māui dolphins for decades. Together with scientists in New Zealand and elsewhere, we urge the government in the strongest possible terms to finally protect its only endemic dolphins from fishing, so they can survive.” “Looking at where the dolphins live, and where gillnetting and trawling are still permitted, there is nothing surprising about these devastating but all too predictable deaths,” says Otago University dolphin expert Prof. Liz Slooten, who has studied Hector’s and Māui dolphins and charted their decline for over 30 years. “It is literally matter of when, not if.” “Like in Māui dolphins, Hector's dolphin populations are becoming more and more fragmented and isolated, says Slooten. “One after the other has dwindled, endangering the species as a whole. Several populations have become incredibly small. Only about 45 Hector's dolphins live in Porpoise Bay in the Catlins, 42 off Otago, two or three hundred in Te Waewae Bay on the south coast, and about 200 off the north coast of the South Island.” “Hector's dolphins used to be very common off Brighton, south of Dunedin,” adds Slooten, “but are very rarely seen there now. Likewise, Raglan surfers used to see Māui dolphins almost every time they went out, often in large groups of 30 or more. Nowadays they are very rarely seen, and if so, only in small groups. Whanganui, the Kapiti Coast and the east coast of the North Island have very occasional sightings, but the dolphins used to be much more common there.” The first Hector’s and Maui Dolphin Threat Management Plan (TMP) was published 12 years ago, in 2007. It offered three protection options for public consultation, none of which included habitat-wide bycatch protection. The TMP was to be reviewed after five years, but is now six years late. “We strongly encourage the government to finally bring Hector’s and Māui dolphin protection into line with international scientific advice during the current TMP review,” says NABU International’s Head of Endangered Species Conservation, Dr Barbara Maas. “This means creating a contiguous protected area across their habitat to a water depth of 100 metres, in which commercial and recreational gillnetting and trawling are prohibited. “ “The international scientific and conservation community is at a loss as to what the Ministry of Primary Industry and the Department of Conservation are waiting for. There is only one way to ensure New Zealand’s dolphins have a future,” adds Maas. “If the government is determined to wait for support from the fishing industry, the dolphins’ extinction is inevitable.” |
Taking action to save the rarest marine dolphin on earth from extinction - Please join us
Hector’s and Maui dolphins are marine treasures, found only in New Zealand. While New Zealand markets seafood labelled as caught by sustainable methods, today only 45 Maui dolphins remain due to the overwhelming impact of fishing throughout their habitat. Entanglement and drowning in gill nets and trawl nets continues to drive Maui dolphins toward extinction - their habitat remains unprotected due to the government's unwillingness to implement fishing restrictions recommended with increasing urgency by the International Whaling Commission, International Union for Conservation of Nature and many other concerned organizations.
Every voice can make a difference. Scientists agree that all of the necessary research has been done. Maui and Hector's dolphin numbers continue to decline at alarming rates. 7,500 Hector's dolphins remain of 29,000 in the 1970's and only 45 Maui dolphins of 1,800. A complete ban on trawling and gill nets throughout the dolphins' habitat range is critical. Take action... The Foundation seeks to influence fisheries legislation and the seafood industry. As well as educating and inspiring support, NABU collaborates with marine biologists and conservationists - NABU International Foundation for Nature is committed to fighting for the survival of Maui and Hector's dolphins. Without the protection required, New Zealand will become the first country to send one of Earth's marine cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises) to extinction. Fishing (trawling and gill netting) must be banned from Maui dolphin habitat, along the West Coast of the North Island from Maunganui Bluff down to Whanganui, and to an offshore distance of 20 nautical miles (or the 100 metre depth contour). With observer coverage at only 12.7% in the set net fishery and 14.6% in the trawl fishery, the last few Maui dolphins in the world are extremely vulnerable. We need your voices! |
Connect for Dolphins
Blogs ahoy! Hear from Hector's and Maui dolphin expert Dr Liz Slooten and world free-dive champion, Maui dolphin ambassador,
William Trubridge. 
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Demand McDonald's Drop New Zealand Fish
Critical action through consumer power - Sign the petition!
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Fishing has driven Maui dolphins to the edge of extinction. They are so rare that the population can sustain only one human caused fatality every 10-23 years. With just 45 Maui dolphins remaining today, we simply cannot afford to lose a single one. Experts have called for a complete fishing ban across the dolphins’ habitat for more than twenty years. But the New Zealand government is not listening and the fishing industry, headed by Seafood New Zealand, denies responsibility.
Less than 20 percent of the dolphins’ home is protected from gill nets and less than 10 percent from trawling. At these levels the Maui dolphin is likely to be extinct by 2025. There is new evidence that the numbers of dolphins killed in fishing nets have been covered up by government and fishers. All necessary research is complete, still government regulators have no intention of implementing critical fishing regulations to ban trawling and set-sets throughout their habitat. Consumer power represents significant hope for the Maui dolphin. McDonald's buys New Zealand fish which goes into their filet-o-fish and so supports the very industry driving Maui to extinction. Please sign the petition - Join NABU with world champion free-diver William Trubridge in asking McDonald's to drop New Zealand fish from the menu and pledge not to buy fillet-o-fish or other New Zealand-caught fish until the dolphins are properly protected. McDonald's must to do the right thing to give Maui dolphins a future. The science is unequivocal - full protection or extinction. |
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FISHERIES EXPERT WARNS - Avoid New Zealand fish or contribute to Maui dolphin extinction
Opinion polls have shown that 60% of New Zealanders would be more likely to vote for a government that would restrict fishing nets and protect the dolphins and that 63% would be willing to pay more for fish to protect dolphins.
NABU, a German charity, has called for an international boycott of New Zealand seafood until the government reverses the dolphins' decline by banning all nets in its habitat. "Buy New Zealand fish, get dead Maui's dolphins free."
New Zealand snapper caught in the Maui and Hector habitats is exported to several countries, including the US and the UK, but consumers have no way of knowing exactly where and how they were caught. "If British consumers want to be sure they're not contributing to the extinction of this rare dolphin, they should avoid New Zealand seafood," said Barry Torkington, a New Zealand fisheries expert.
Ecologist Special Report: World's rarest dolphin heading towards extinction
NABU, a German charity, has called for an international boycott of New Zealand seafood until the government reverses the dolphins' decline by banning all nets in its habitat. "Buy New Zealand fish, get dead Maui's dolphins free."
New Zealand snapper caught in the Maui and Hector habitats is exported to several countries, including the US and the UK, but consumers have no way of knowing exactly where and how they were caught. "If British consumers want to be sure they're not contributing to the extinction of this rare dolphin, they should avoid New Zealand seafood," said Barry Torkington, a New Zealand fisheries expert.
Ecologist Special Report: World's rarest dolphin heading towards extinction
Fishing companies slammed for publicity stunt
Sanford and Moana announce plan to trawl Maui habitat until 2022
Professor Liz Slooten of Otago University, leading expert on Hector's and Maui dolphins explains the recent publicity stunt by two New Zealand fishing companies. In giving a questionable impression of suddenly wanting to help Maui dolphins, companies Sanford and Moana New Zealand announced their intention to continue trawling Maui dolphin habitat until 2022. With less than 50 Maui remaining and an estimated 4.9 deaths caused by fishing activity every year, they would be wiped out. In making the announcement, these two companies have stopped denying the truth and now admit to fishing the habitat of New Zealand's critically endangered Maui dolphin. - 15 December 2015
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Not what it seems
New Hector's dolphin estimate from Ministry for Primary Industries
Listen to the revealing and informative interview, 'Unpicking the Hector's Dolphin Report'. Leading expert on Maui and Hector's dolphins Dr Liz Slooten discusses MPI's Hector's Dolphin report with and Raglan Community Radio, New Zealand. Listen to the key information highlighted here. - August 23, 2016
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Experts sound the alarm
Maui dolphin numbers drop below 50
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Numbers of the smallest and rarest marine dolphin in the world have hit an all time low of 43-47 individuals, with an estimated quarter of these comprising breeding age females. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has for a fifth year called on
New Zealand to take urgent action to save Maui's dolphins from extinction, voicing "grave concern" about its future. New Zealand’s critically endangered Maui's dolphin formed part of discussions held by 200 of the world’s leading cetacean scientists who gathered for the annual meeting of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission. NABU International and the leading Hector's and Maui dolphin expert, Professor Liz Slooten of the University of Otago, presented the latest population figures. Unless the level of fisheries protection is increased significantly, Maui’s dolphins could become extinct in 15 years or less. The IWC reports that not enough is being done to prevent the dolphins becoming "bycatch" to the commercial fishing industry. Read more |
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You can help by joining us - Hector's & Maui's Dolphin SOS. Be part of the effort stopping the dolphins from being killed by human activity
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Maui dolphins on BBC World NewsDr Barbara Maas, Head of Endangered Species Conservation discusses the rarest marine dolphin in the world, in this must-see interview26 May 2015
There used to be over 1,000 - close to 2,000 - and it is fishing nets mainly that is killing them. It's the fishing nets - It's gill-netting and trawling specifically and we have known this for decades. The numbers have been going down and down and down, and scientists have said you need to take the nets out. You need to protect these animals. Action has not been taken and that's why we are now really on the brink." Small dolphins go BIG at World Whale Conference
The 2013 World Whale Conference was held in Gloucester, Massachusetts in the USA brought together delegates from all around the globe and was organised by the enthusiastic team of the World Cetacean Alliance, of which we are a partner. A wide range of issues that effect cetaceans were on the agenda, including New Zealand's highly endangered Maui's and Hector's dolphins. You can watch our presentation about the plight of the last Maui's dolphins in the short video below. Extinction is looming, so check it out and discover what it will take to save them. Act now to save the last Maui DolphinsBe their voice. Sign the petition today!
 CLICK IMAGE TO SIGN
Don't miss out! Have your to say and tell the decision-makers in New Zealand that Maui's dolphins need to be fully protected against all fishing nets to prevent the dolphins' extinction. It's quick and it's easy. Simply click on the image or the link below and sign our petition. Each signature sends the message directly to those in charge. The more are sent, the stronger the message that the world cares about New Zealand's forgotten dolphins.
I want to sign the petition now! 
New Zealand Government ignores calls by international scientific instituions to protect Maui dolphins from extinction
Girl on a mission to save Maui dolphins
Marine mammal experts condemn seismic tests in Maui's dolphin habitat
Six Hector's dolphins die in a single month
Maui's dolphins extinct by 2030:
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Historic alliance of leading environmental groups pledge new actions to protect whales and dophins Save the Whales: Reloaded selects Maui's & Hector's dolphin conservation as one of its first three priority areas for action |
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Over 75 leading environmental and animal protection groups and businesses, including NABU International have committed to Save the Whales: Reloaded, a new global alliance will identify and work together to protect whales and dolphins in areas where they most need help. Twenty two conservation groups and
businesses from around the world have joined NABU International in a collective
bid to save Maui and Hector’s dolphins as part of the Save the Whales: Reloaded campaign.
Read more
How New Zealand Law Lets Down the ‘Down-Under Dolphin’ and How to Fix It
A New Zealand lawyer speaks out
A New Zealand lawyer speaks out
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Nicola Wheen is a Senior Lecturer at New Zealand’s University of Otago’s Faculty of Law. Her latest paper, entitled "How the Law Lets Down the ‘Down-Under Dolphin’ - Fishing-Related Mortality of Marine Animals and the Law in New Zealand”, which was published in the Journal of Environmental Law in September 2012, is both interesting and highly relevant to our cause. We are delighted to have Nicola explain her findings and point towards a simple solution firsthand.
Read more ... |
New Zealand shames itself in front of the world
The New Zealand government has exposed its anti-conservation stance in the most spectacular way. At the recent IUCN World Conservation Congress, New Zealand was the only nation to cast a vote against a motion in favour of better protection of the last 55 or so Maui's dolphins and their endangered cousins, the Hector's dolphin. With about 6000 daily participants, the meeting is the world’s largest conservation event and brings together professionals and governments to discuss the environment. The IUCN's demands perfectly match those of our turn the red sea green campaign, confirming once again the legitimacy of what we have been asking the New Zealand government to do. Read more
Would you give up seafood from New Zealand to save Maui's and Hector's dolphins?
Hector's dolphins and their close relative the Maui’s dolphin live only in New Zealand and are both the smallest and rarest marine dolphins on earth. Entanglement in gill and trawl nets has devastated them to near extinction. Unless things change, they will disappear forever.
Since he 1970s, Hector’s dolphin populations have dropped by more than 75% from 30,000 to just over 7,000. The situation is even worse for Maui’s dolphins, their North Island subspecies. With just some 55 animals and around 20 breeding females left, Maui's dolphins are facing imminent extinction.
Saving this species is a race against time that can only be won if the threat of fishing is removed from the dolphins’ habitat. But industry bodies have forcefully opposed every effort to protect these animals and even took the government to court on several occasions in an attempt to overturn protection measures.
Both the Conservation and Primary Industries ministers said they are not implementing immediate protection measures because they fear being sued by the industry. No one wants this. But no one should be allowed to intimidate a government into allowing a species to be wiped out. There are a mere 55 Maui's dolphins left. All other avenues have been explored. This would be the very last resort to persuade the industry that this is not o.k.
Since he 1970s, Hector’s dolphin populations have dropped by more than 75% from 30,000 to just over 7,000. The situation is even worse for Maui’s dolphins, their North Island subspecies. With just some 55 animals and around 20 breeding females left, Maui's dolphins are facing imminent extinction.
Saving this species is a race against time that can only be won if the threat of fishing is removed from the dolphins’ habitat. But industry bodies have forcefully opposed every effort to protect these animals and even took the government to court on several occasions in an attempt to overturn protection measures.
Both the Conservation and Primary Industries ministers said they are not implementing immediate protection measures because they fear being sued by the industry. No one wants this. But no one should be allowed to intimidate a government into allowing a species to be wiped out. There are a mere 55 Maui's dolphins left. All other avenues have been explored. This would be the very last resort to persuade the industry that this is not o.k.
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