Christine Rose is a Campaign Advisor for World Animal Protection, continuing her decades-long advocacy for better protection for Māui and Hector's dolphins.
In her role in this global animal welfare organisation, Christine applies her knowledge of politics and love of philosophy into 'the new frontier' of animal
ethics, working to move the world for animals' welfare and rights.
The New Zealand Government has now released the public consultation draft for its Threat Management Plan, TMP, for Māui and Hector's dolphins – New Zealand’s
only endemic dolphin species, and among the world’s most endangered. The proposed plan doesn't go far enough she says. It fails to protect all habitat
for all Māui and Hector's sub-populations.
You can make a submission below by August 19, 2019.
Māui and Hector’s are the smallest (and among the rarest) dolphins in the world and are only found in New Zealand. These much-loved dolphins are friendly
and often interact with surfers and swimmers.
Māui and Hector’s dolphins are a New Zealand “taonga” (a highly valued treasure) and are celebrated in our culture and art. They deserve our respect and
protection.
The official population estimate for Māui dolphins is about 57 and, in 2018 alone, at least four Māui’s dolphins were found dead on North Island beaches.
Some of the small South Island Hector’s dolphin sub-populations number as low as 40 individuals. The problem is simple – much of the Hector’s and Māui
habitat is unprotected from human threats and human populations. Areas they live in, travel through and need to survive have limited or no protection.
Because of the fishing activity within their habitat, dolphins continue to get caught in nets and drown – sometimes whole families.
The TMP is a plan used by the Department of Conservation and Fisheries New Zealand to help make management decisions around threats towards protected species
in New Zealand.
The first Hector's and Māui dolphin TMP was created in 2007 to evaluate and manage the risks from threats such as fishing, tourism, vessel strike, pollution,
climate change, and disease. Protection measures were established to help protect Māui and Hector’s dolphins.
The Govt only reviews its Maui and Hector's dolphin Threat Management Plan once every 5-10 years and these dolphins are on the brink of extinction. There
are only about 57 adult Maui dolphins and some of the small South Island subpopulations are even lower in number.
The proposed TMP doesn't cover the whole dolphin range - it misses out off-shore range to 100m deep, and subpopulations on the North Island East Coast,
between the North and South Islands, Marlborough Sounds, gaps around the East and South Coasts of the South Island.
It allows seabed mining and oil and gas exploration in most of the dolphins' habitat. it fails to impose a rigorous and robust monitoring programme. It
allows 80-100 dolphins to be killed as by-catch every year. It overstates the costs to the fishing industry of full protection, and understates the
benefits according to the work that has been commissioned by World Animal Protection.
It would seem that cameras need to be installed on all commercial fishing vessels.
Fishing nets have killed all but a third of the Hector's and Maui dolphins. It's time to stop! Gillnets are the most serious threat, followed by trawling.
Scientific research has proven that the current protection measures are NOT enough.
Fishing nets have killed all but a third of the Hector's and Maui dolphins. It's time to stop! Gillnets are the most serious threat, followed by trawling.
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 dolphin is rapidly following in the footsteps of Maui dolphin, with their populations becoming more and more fragmented. One after the other small,
local population has dwindled, endangering the species as a whole.
These dolphins range to 20 nautical miles offshore, so if protection is extended to all waters less than 100 metres deep we would see the populations grow
and recover from the losses they have suffered over the last four decades. This would stop the continued dolphin by-catch (entanglement in fishing
gear) problem.
Christine also spoke about the four aspects of the work done by World Animal Protection.
Animals in Communities
Animals play a vital role in communities worldwide – and we need to protect them. Christine explains that they help governments to manage dog populations
humanely and to vaccinate against rabies, instead of culling dogs. They share advice on responsible pet ownership. They prevent working animals being
overworked and abused. They do whatever is necessary to protect animals in communities worldwide, including at home here in New Zealand.
Animals in Farming
Christine says, “The majority of animals farmed for food live in conditions that cause suffering and stress. It’s time to rethink farming.
The treatment of farm animals is the world’s biggest animal welfare issue – and it’s getting bigger. By 2050, livestock production will be twice what it
was in 2000. Right now, more than 70 billion animals are farmed for food each year – two-thirds in conditions that mean they can’t move freely or live
naturally. We campaign for progress at every stage – from farming to transportation to slaughter.”
Animals in Disasters
It is necessary to move fast to protect animals affected by disasters, reducing suffering and helping governments and communities to recover and rebuild.
Animals in the Wild
World Animal Protection works around the globe to protect and save world animals, and to keep wild animals in the wild, where they belong. They try and
stop elephants from being ridden and allow them to be wild animals, for example.
You can find out more at https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.nz
Christine Rose is a Campaign Advisor for World Animal Protection, continuing her
decades-long advocacy for better protection for Māui and Hector's dolphins. In her role in this global animal welfare organisation, Christine applies
her knowledge of politics and love of philosophy into 'the new frontier' of animal ethics, working to move the world for animals' welfare and rights.
Previously she has been a councillor for Auckland Regional Council and a board member for Rodney District Council.
In her spare time, Christine spends as much time in and on the sea as possible. She's a writer often focusing on environmental ethics, and a ceramic artist
and painter, inspired by nature and the ocean.
You can make a submission by either copying the submission below, or adapting it to one of your own, or sign this submission from World Animal Protection – but time is short.
Consultation: Hector’s and Māui Dolphin Threat Management Plan
Submission form:
Contact details - phone number, email
Email to: [email protected] by August 19 2019
(Thanks to Suzanne Vincent for writing this.)
“The proposal falls far short of what is required. The best options described do not even approach the levels of protection for Maui dolphins recommended
by the International Whaling Commission and the IUCN, or in the Green and Labour Party conservation policies. The options proposed to protect Hector’s
dolphins fall even shorter, even though these dolphins are also endangered.
It is essential that the following measures are taken:
Thank you for the opportunity to make this submission.”
