Stricter controls needed to stop fishing industry killing native wildlife

The Green Party is calling for stricter controls on the fishing industry after it was revealed thousands of seabirds, hundreds of fur seals, and dozens of dolphins were killed by trawl nets in just one year.

A new report has just been released that analyses data from fisheries observers to identify levels of bycatch.

In 2013-14, an estimated 81 dolphins were killed in the jack mackerel trawl fishery and an estimated 2,277 seabirds, including threatened species such as Salvin’s mollyhawk and white chinned petrel, and an estimated 387 fur seals were killed in other trawl fisheries*.

“The deaths of so many native animals as the result of the fishing industry is completely unacceptable,” said Green Party primary industry spokesperson Eugenie Sage.

“We don’t allow hunters to accidently kill kakapo or great spotted kiwi. We shouldn’t allow the fishing industry to kill any of our dolphins, fur seals, or our endangered seabirds.

“Of the more than 500 birds found dead in trawl nets, 19 were flesh-footed shearwaters – one of 142 species that have had their threat status slide closer to extinction under the National Government.

“New Zealand is the seabird capital of the world with over 8o species based in our waters – we have an international responsibility to protect these species.

“There were some 158 fur seals seen by observers in trawl nets, with the hoki and southern blue whiting fisheries responsible for most of the estimated 387 fur seals killed in trawl nets.

“All but one of the actual dolphin deaths occurred in the jack mackerel fishery which is dominated by huge foreign charter vessels. Dolphins shouldn’t be being killed to catch jack mackerel which are often used for bait, fishmeal, and in petfood.

“The Government needs to clean up the commercial fishing industry by making sure there are observers on every boat, ensuring regular audits are done, taking stronger enforcement action, and prosecuting vessels where repeated bykill occurs,” said Ms Sage.

 

*Observer coverage of fishing vessels is often less than 15 percent so the analysis estimates bykill for the whole fishery.

Latest Environment Announcements

Story

NZ needs strong protection against water privatisation

New Zealanders deserve strong protection against the future privatisation of water assets, the Green Party says.
Read More

Story

Nature missing in RMA reform

The Government has missed a crucial opportunity to redesign the resource management system with climate and nature at its heart. 
Read More

Story

Report shows reducing actual farming emissions vital

Evidence shows that relying on offsets to reduce agriculture’s impact on the climate will not work, the Green Party says.
Read More

Story

Budget 2022: Greens call for urgency with nature-first climate investments

Budget 2022 shows progress on conservation commitments in the Green Party’s cooperation agreement Green Party achievements in the last Government ...
Read More

Story

Nature needs us to act right now

The Green Party welcomes the release of the implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy and calls on the ...
Read More

Story

Urgent action needed to bring natural environment back from the brink

The release today of Environment Aotearoa 2022 is a sobering reminder of what is at stake if the Government does not step up and take urgent action...
Read More

Latest Primary Industries Announcements

Petition

Take action to protect our oceans

We’re taking the health of our oceans seriously and our Thriving Oceans Plan sets out exactly how the Green Party will protect them so we all can e...
TAKE ACTION

Thriving Oceans

Oceans are the lifeblood of our planet and home to thousands of taonga species, providing us with nourishing food to feed our families, supporting...
Read More

Farming for the Future

Here in Aotearoa, we can have a thriving and sustainable farming sector that is good for farmers, good for people, and good for the planet. By mak...
Read More

Petition

Supporting farmers to be part of the solution

Our farmers are already leading the way toward climate-friendly agriculture - but governments must support them to go further, faster.   The Green ...
SIGN ON

Policy

Agriculture and Rural Affairs Policy

Click here for our 2020 Farming for the Future Plan A strong and diverse agricultural sector is an important part of an economically viable and en...
See More

Policy

Forestry Policy

Protecting and growing our forests cleans the air and lowers greenhouse gas emissions, creates jobs and economic value, sustains the soil and clean...
See More