Squid fishery kills 56 endangered sea lions

25 May 2007 - Wellington

Contact: Kirstie Knowles, Forest & Bird Conservation Advocate, 04 801 2210, 021 426 984

An estimated fifty-six New Zealand sea lions have been killed by the southern squid trawl fishery this season.

Forest & Bird Conservation Advocate Kirstie Knowles says the number of sea lions killed this season, which has just ended, is lower than the 93 which is the maximum number the fishery is permitted to kill, but is still far too high.

“Forest & Bird is relieved the number of sea lions killed is down on last year, when 110 were killed, but the deaths of 56 sea lions is still unsustainable and has serious implications for the declining population of this endangered marine mammal,” Kirstie Knowles says.

“About half of the sea lions killed would have been females, some of which are likely to have been pregnant.  This means that their unborn pups are also killed and their pups waiting for them back on shore also starve to death – for every female sea lion killed in squid nets, potentially up to three can actually die.  This could have serious consequences for a species which has seen pup production decline by 30% since 1998.”

Kirstie Knowles says the lower number of sea lions killed this season reflects the fact that less fishing for squid took place, largely because squid have been less abundant and the price for squid has been low – not necessarily because of any improvement in fishing practices to reduce by-catch that may have occurred.

“The industry may claim that fewer sea lions were killed because sea lion exclusion devices (SLEDs), which are designed to release sea lions that get caught in squid nets, are working effectively.  Though the SLEDs are meeting the required standards and releasing sea lions from nets, there are serious doubts about whether traumatised sea lions survive after being freed through the SLEDs.”

Forest & Bird is calling for Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton to reduce the sea lion kill quota to near zero when he sets the limit for the coming season – a move backed by 20,000 signatories to Forest & Bird’s petition last year, and thousands of people who signed Forest & Bird’s Mother’s Day cards highlighting the issue this month.

Kirstie Knowles says it is hoped that the Department of Conservation will complete its long overdue population management plan for New Zealand sea lions in time for the minister to consider it as a factor in his decision when he sets the next kill quota later this year.

Sea lions were once common right around New Zealand’s coast, but now breed only at Campbell and Auckland Islands and Otago Peninsula, and they have a total adult breeding population of just 5000.