Rule change to aid dolphin research

Commercial fishers will now be allowed to bring any dead Hector’s and Māui dolphins caught or found floating at sea back to shore for research, after a rule change.

Under the Marine Mammals Protection Act fishers have been forbidden to retain any part of the protected species, but under new authorisation from the Department of Conservation (DOC) they will be able to bring the dolphins back to shore for research.

There are an estimated 15,700 Hector’s dolphins, found mostly around the South Island’s coast, and only about 54 Māui dolphins, which are found on the west coast of the North Island and are one of the rarest dolphins in the world. Both are unique to New Zealand.

Fishers will be able to deliver any dead dolphins to DOC, which would then transport them to Massey University for necropsy (animal autopsy).

From May 9, 125 inshore trawling and net setting fishers operating in areas frequented by Hector’s and Māui dolphins will start receiving a letter from DOC explaining the process and how to store and bring dolphins to shore.

Fisheries Inshore New Zealand executive chairperson Laws Lawson said fishers had a useful role in supporting the research and protection of the dolphins, and ‘‘there is greater research value in having a dead dolphin body on a pathology lab table rather than a dead body in the sea’’.

‘‘Because the accidental capture rate is low we don’t expect many dolphins to be recovered from our fishers, but we are very pleased to help this research initiative in any way.’’

DOC researchers currently rely on dolphins found on beaches for much of the information they need.

The most recent reported Hector’s dolphin capture by a commercial vessel was in 2020. The last confirmed capture of a Māui dolphin was in 2002.