Desperate call to keep penguins out of nets

Almost half the breeding population of yellow-eyed penguins on Codfish Island, west of Stewart Island, have disappeared at sea, most likely because of commercial set nets, Forest & Bird says.

Chief executive Kevin Hague said the group was calling on the Government to gather those who work to protect the penguins, but also the fishing industry to agree an immediate set of actions to eliminate the risks from set-netting in the penguins’ feeding area.

‘‘Unlike previous years where disease and high temperatures caused deaths on land, this year birds have disappeared at sea.

‘‘There is an active set-net fishery within the penguins’ Whenua Hou foraging ground, and the indications are that nearly half the Whenua Hou hoiho population has been drowned in one or more of these nets.

‘‘We are asking DOC and MPI what they intend to do to save our hoiho from extinction, because at current rates of decline we are on track to lose hoiho completely from mainland New Zealand. We have also written to the Minister of Conservation, expressing our concern.’’

However, Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) says it is stepping up monitoring of the set-net fisheries.

Almost every penguin killed in the set-net fishery was killed on a boat that had an official observer on board, Hague said.

The first step was to get more observers onto set-net vessels and prioritise putting cameras on set-netting boats, he said.

Department of Conservation information showed only 14 yellow-eyed penguins were found on Codfish Island, down from 24 the previous year.

Forest & Bird said yellow-eyed penguins had also declined elsewhere this year.

The Catlins had seen a drop of 10 per cent in nests and Otago Peninsula saw a small decline but not all areas have been searched yet.

The estimate for the entire southeast coast of the South Island was down 6 per cent.

However, it’s not just yellow-eyed penguins at risk.

Forest & Bird Southland and Otago conservation manager Sue Maturin said penguins off the Otago and Southland coast have almost no protection from commercial fishing boats, in particular commercial set nets, which are often placed in the same areas that penguins forage.

‘‘Whole groups can be wiped out in a single go, as happened to a flock of little blue penguins last year. There are reports the same thing may have happened to a group of yellow-eyed penguins this season, which we are very concerned about.’’

MPI acting director fisheries management Steve Halley said concerns had recently been raised regarding set nets in the Southland area and the ministry was stepping up monitoring of the set-net fisheries to keep an eye on current fishing activity.