New Zealand high court sides with rare dolphins against fisheries

Hectors dolphin off Wellington. Credit DOC

February 2010. Independent conservation organisation Forest & Bird welcomes the High Court judgement endorsing most measures announced in 2008 to protect endangered Hector's dolphins.

The High Court has rejected the fishing industry's challenge to four of the six fishing restrictions imposed by previous Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton. The court has sent two of the measures back to new Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley to reconsider.

Forest & Bird Marine Conservation Advocate Kirstie Knowles says "Forest & Bird is happy that the court sees the importance of protecting our endangered Hector's dolphins from fishing threats. We know that these rare dolphins are caught in fishing nets because of Department of Conservation monitoring. We are optimistic that the new minister will make the best decision for these rare dolphins, and stick with the other two protective measures."

Set net bans
The decision to extend set net bans on the North Island's west coast from four to seven nautical miles has been referred back to the minister. This measure was designed to protect Maui's dolphins, a sub-species of Hector's dolphin. These are the rarest marine dolphins in the world, with about 111 remaining.

The fishing measures include regional bans on set netting and trawling in some coastal waters where Hector's and Maui's dolphins are found. Other measures announced in May 2008 include better monitoring of commercial fishing boats, four new marine mammal sanctuaries and the extension of the existing sanctuary off Banks Peninsula.

Forest & Bird wants a ban on all set nets in coastal waters where Hector's and Maui's dolphins live. The small dolphins get tangled in the nets and drown.

"All six protection measures must be put in place as the first steps to stop the decline of Hector's and Maui's dolphins," Kirstie Knowles says.