Set net fishing killing ‘hundreds’ of penguins
Hundreds of endangered penguins could be dying unreported in fishing nets, Forest & Bird claims.
The conservation group obtained figures on reported penguin deaths from the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).
Of 14 deaths reported in the year to October 2016, official ministry observers reported all but one of them. A fisher reported one penguin death. Another was found in a trawler net, but survived.
Fishers using set nets are legally obliged to report by-kill of penguins.
Forest & Bird said with only about three per cent of net hauls officially observed during this period, the information was evidence set net fishing killed critically endangered hoiho (yelloweyed) penguins.
The set net penguin deaths were reported in seven incidents. Two were Fiordland crested penguins; four were critically endangered hoiho; and eight were little blue penguins killed in a single incident.
The nets targeted mostly butterfish, but also school sharks. The penguin deaths were observed near Stewart Island, Fiordland and off the east coast of the South Island.
‘‘It’s implausible that the 3 per cent of net hauls observed by MPI staff were responsible for 90 per cent of all penguin deaths,’’ Forest & Bird chief executive Kevin Hague said.
‘‘What’s much more likely is that set net fishers are failing to report penguin deaths, as they are legally required to do.’’
Potentially hundreds of penguin deaths were going unreported, he said.
‘‘At those levels, set net fishing is a major contributor to the declining population of our penguin species, including the hoiho which is already on the cusp of extinction.’’
Hague said another concern was that ‘‘entire groups’’ of foraging penguins risked being caught in set nets, as shown by the eight little blue penguin deaths.
‘‘Set netting occurs all around the country and in most areas there is no observer coverage, so little penguins are likely to be caught in many other areas as well, but not reported,’’ he said.
Hague urged the government to adopt a zero by-catch goal for penguins. He said key penguin foraging areas should be set aside for birds in marine reserves.
‘‘Given that the industry seems to be unwilling to comply with the law on reporting penguin deaths, more observers and cameras are urgently needed,’’ he said.
Set nets were widely introduced to New Zealand waters during the 1970s. Since then, concern has been raised over the by-kill of birds including pied shags and marine mammals including dolphins. The practice is banned in certain areas such as marine reserves.
"Set net fishing is a major contributor to the declining population of our penguin species." Forest & Bird chief executive Kevin Hague