Scientists urge action to save rare dolphins
Source: AFP |
July 2, 2013, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MARINE scientists have called on New Zealand immediately to ban fishing in waters inhabited by the world's rarest dolphin, saying that losing just one more of the creatures will threaten the species' existence.
The Maui's dolphin is one of the world's smallest, with a maximum length of 1.7 meters, prompting conservationists to call it "the hobbit of the sea."
Found only in shallow waters off the North Island's west coast, it is listed as critically endangered with just 55 adults remaining and there are fears it will disappear by 2030 unless urgent action is taken.
The International Whaling Commission's scientific committee said it was extremely concerned about the dolphin's plight, adding: "The human-caused death of even one dolphin in such a small population would increase the extinction risk for this sub-species."
While the New Zealand government has previously said it would consider both the risks facing the dolphins and the impact on the local fishing industry before implementing a management plan, the IWC said there was no room for delay.
"Rather than seeking further scientific evidence, the priority should be given to immediate management actions that will lead to the elimination of by-catch of Maui's dolphins," it said. "This includes full closures of any fisheries within the range of Maui's dolphins that are known to pose a risk."
The organization, which made a similar plea to ban fishing last year, noted proposals for seabed mining, including seismic surveying, also represented a potential threat.
The call for action was contained in a report published over the weekend that revealed the recommendations of the IWC's annual meeting in South Korea last month.
The Maui's dolphin is one of the world's smallest, with a maximum length of 1.7 meters, prompting conservationists to call it "the hobbit of the sea."
Found only in shallow waters off the North Island's west coast, it is listed as critically endangered with just 55 adults remaining and there are fears it will disappear by 2030 unless urgent action is taken.
The International Whaling Commission's scientific committee said it was extremely concerned about the dolphin's plight, adding: "The human-caused death of even one dolphin in such a small population would increase the extinction risk for this sub-species."
While the New Zealand government has previously said it would consider both the risks facing the dolphins and the impact on the local fishing industry before implementing a management plan, the IWC said there was no room for delay.
"Rather than seeking further scientific evidence, the priority should be given to immediate management actions that will lead to the elimination of by-catch of Maui's dolphins," it said. "This includes full closures of any fisheries within the range of Maui's dolphins that are known to pose a risk."
The organization, which made a similar plea to ban fishing last year, noted proposals for seabed mining, including seismic surveying, also represented a potential threat.
The call for action was contained in a report published over the weekend that revealed the recommendations of the IWC's annual meeting in South Korea last month.
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