Make seabird sandcastles with Forest and Bird and the Kiwi Conservation Club
Forest & Bird is going to build some giant sea birds at beaches around New Zealand this summer. We want to celebrate our magnificent seabirds, and to call on Government and the Fishing Industry to get serious about saving penguins, albatrosses, petrels, tītī, and other seabirds.
Join us at Carters Beach, Westport on Tuesday 14th January 2020, 6.30pm-8.30pm to build a giant Taiko/ Westland Petrel.
Please bring a bucket and spade or garden trowel and wear clothing appropriate to weather conditions. Children under 14 must be accompanied and supervised by caregiver 18+.
Free community event and everyone is welcome
The National Plan of Action for Seabirds 2020 (NPOA-S) - Speak out for the Sea Birds
The Government is calling for submissions on the National Plan of Action for Sea Birds too. This is our opportunity to ask the Government to ensure that our fishing industry is adopting best practices to avoid the bycatch of seabirds.
Your support for stronger action will make a difference.
We have made using your voice easy. Go to https://www.forestandbird.org.nz/petitions/better-seabird-protection-now to make your submission. You can add your own words to it along with your name.
New Zealand’s seabirds are in crisis, and Fisheries New Zealand estimates up to 14,400 could be killed unnecessarily in commercial fishing nets and on longlines every year. Everybody wants zero bycatch, it’s good for the fishing industry and it’s good for theseabirds. To be successful the new NPOA needs to include: A Zero Bycatch Goal with year on year reductions (less and less bycatch allowed) to reach negligible (tiny numbers of) bycatch by 2025. Actions and rules that stick and have consequences if you don’t do them. Fishers must be required to use all available tools and world best practices to keep seabirds away from their fishing gear. Cameras/observers on all commercial fishing boats to ensure all fishers do the right thing. An end to set netting in the habitats of threatened species like hoiho (yellow-eyed penguins).