WWF-Australia - for a living planet

83% of Kiwis Support Trawl and Set Net Ban to Protect New Zealand Dolphins

18 Apr 2008

A WWF/Colmar Brunton survey released today shows 83% of New Zealanders support banning set nets and trawl nets to protect Hector's and Maui's dolphins.

Both dolphin species are found only in New Zealand coastal waters. Maui's dolphins, with a population of just 111, are classified as 'critically endangered', which means they face an extremely high likelihood of extinction. Hector's dolphins are 'endangered', which means they face a very high risk of extinction.

WWF-New Zealand Executive Director, Chris Howe, says the findings – that more than four out of five people support banning set nets and trawl nets in areas the dolphins live - is a strong message for the government.

"In the next few weeks, the Ministers of Fisheries and Conservation are expected to release their decision on how threats to Hector's and Maui's dolphins will be managed.

"The government's own research has shown that fishing with set nets and trawl nets pose the greatest threat to the dolphins. The most recently released findings from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in March confirmed what WWF has been saying for years - over 100 Hector's and Maui's dolphins are killed in set nets each year, and continuing to fish this way will lead to their further decline1."

"We've been pushing the government for adequate protection for these dolphins for the past four years, and the Colmar Brunton opinion research shows that the vast majority of New Zealanders agree that action is needed before it's too late." People understand that some fishers' livelihoods may be affected, but they still want nets banned, Howe says.

The research shows 7% think fishing with set nets and trawl nets should continue and 10% have no opinion.

The survey also reflects the strength of people's feelings about protecting the dolphins, he says. Of the 7% who support continued use of nets in places the dolphins live, just 29% rate this as 'very' or 'quite' important to them. In stark contrast, 86% of those who want nets banned to protect the dolphins say it's 'very' or 'quite' important.

"It's clear people feel strongly about New Zealand's responsibility to protect marine mammals that are found only in our waters," Howe says. "Hector's and Maui's dolphins are our marine taonga, and protecting them for future generations is important to our national identity."

WWF-New Zealand is calling for a total ban on set nets, and for trawling to be banned in the shallow waters where the dolphins live. Other methods of fishing that don't kill dolphins or harm other marine life are available to fishers, Howe says. "The positive and effective work being done by New Zealand fishers to reduce seabird by-catch shows what the industry can achieve when it is motivated."

The government's latest deadline for releasing their decision on managing the threats to Hector's and Maui's dolphins is early May.

The survey results are part of a Colmar Brunton omnibus questionnaire in March 2008, and are based on telephone interviews with 500 randomly sampled New Zealanders aged 15 and older. The data was post-weighted to accurately reflect New Zealand's population in terms of household size, area, age and gender. The research is available online at www.wwf.org.nz

For further information:

Chris Howe, WWF-New Zealand Executive Director
04 471 4282 or 027 4477 132
e-mail: chris.howe@wwf.org.nz

Peter Trott, WWF-Australia Fisheries Project Manager
+61 437 960 812
e-mail: ptrott@wwf.org.au

1 The NIWA report found that under current management, an estimated 110-150 Hector's and Maui's dolphins are killed in commercial gillnets each year (p. 30 and Fig. 38). Davies NM, Bian R, Starr P, Lallemand P, Gilbert D, McKenzie J (2008) Risk analysis for Hector's dolphin and Maui's dolphin subpopulations to commercial set net fishing using a temporal-spatial age-structured model. Ministry of Fisheries, Wellington, New Zealand, www.fish.govt.nz/en-nz/Consultations/Hector+new/default.htm

Dolphin Notes:

  1. Hector's and Maui's dolphins are New Zealand's sole endemic dolphin species - that means they are not found anywhere else on planet Earth. New Zealand has only one other endemic marine mammal - the New Zealand sea lion (formerly known as Hooker's).
  2. Maui's are the most rare marine dolphin in the world with an estimated population of just 111 individuals. Maui's are a subspecies of the Hector's dolphin, and live only along the west coast of the North Island.
  3. The reason the dolphins are at risk is because they live close to shore, which places them at great risk from fishing – specifically, drowning after becoming entangled in commercial and amateur set nets and inshore trawl nets. Boat strikes, coastal development and pollution are also factors.
  4. Because both species only live about 20 years and are low, slow breeders, any human-induced deaths have a huge impact. Even one more death of a Maui's dolphin, caused by humans, could push them over the brink to extinction as the population will simply not be able to sustain itself.
  5. Some fishing restrictions have been put in place, such as banning set nets from certain areas. However, dolphins are still dying, which shows these steps are not enough.
  6. The dolphins' fragile status was first recognised nearly 10 years ago, in 1999. It has taken this long for the Government to finally issue a draft Hector's and Maui's Dolphin Threat Management Plan (August 2007). This draft has still not been finalised.
  7. Set nets and trawl nets are unequivocally acknowledged by New Zealand's Ministry of Fisheries and Department of Conservation as the most significant threat to both Hector's and Maui's dolphins.
  8. The deaths of 22 common dolphins in two vessels' trawl nets last December shows that the fishing industry's voluntary Marine Mammal Operating Procedure cannot provide adequate protection for Maui's. The Minister of Conservation confirmed it not uncommon for dolphins to be captured in nets in this way.
  9. The Government has the power and mandate to stop the extinction from happening. The Fisheries Act 1996 (s9 and s10) allows the Government to act with caution to ensure sustainability.

Colmar Brunton Survey Notes:

  1. WWF commissioned Colmar Brunton to survey New Zealanders' views on the protection of Hector's and Maui's dolphins.
  2. The survey was conducted from 12-18 March, using Colmar Brunton's telephone omnibus. It was conducted before the Minister of Conservation released photographs of the 22 common dolphins killed by trawl nets along the west coast of the North Island.
  3. 505 people aged 15 and over were questioned as part of the survey.
  4. Telephone numbers were generated randomly to ensure a representative sample of New Zealanders.
  5. Quotas were set by area, age, and gender and the data post-weighted to reflect population statistics in terms of household size, area, age and gender.
  6. Among genders:
    a.Of women surveyed, 87% want set nets and trawl nets banned from places dolphins live
    b.Of men surveyed, 79% want set nets and trawl nets banned from places dolphins live
  7. Among age groups:
    a.86% of people aged 15-39 years want set nets and trawl nets banned from places dolphins live
    b.79% of people aged 40 -59 years want set nets and trawl nets banned from places dolphins live
    c.83% of people aged 60+ years want set nets and trawl nets banned from places dolphins live
  8. Among regions:
    a.84% of metropolitan city dwellers want set nets and trawl nets banned from places dolphins live
    b.84% of provincial city dwellers want set nets and trawl nets banned from places dolphins live
    c.80% of small town/rural dwellers want set nets and trawl nets banned from places dolphins live

The Colmar Brunton survey questions:

The Government is about to make a decision about the protection of Maui's and Hector's dolphins. There are just over a hundred Maui's dolphins and just over seven thousand Hector's dolphins left in the world. New Zealand's coastal waters are the only place in the world these dolphins are found.

The main threat to the dolphins is fishing with set nets and trawl nets. One point of view is that fishing with set nets and trawl nets should be banned in the areas the dolphins live to ensure the survival of the dolphins as species. Another point of view is that set net and trawl net fishing shouldn't be banned because it will affect the livelihood of fishermen in the areas the dolphins live.

Q1. Do you think the Government should ban fishing with set nets and trawl nets in the Hector's and Maui's dolphin areas or do you think they should continue to allow these types of fishing so it doesn't affect the livelihoods of the fishermen?

Q2. How important is it to you, personally, that the Government [do whatever response they chose]? Is it very important, quite important, not that important, or not at all important?