Minister inaction will make him accessory to dolphin extinction

The Government has today confirmed it will not take steps to further protect the critically endangered Maui's dolphins following the recent death of one in a set net off the coast of Taranaki, the Green Party said today.

In Parliamentary question time today, Primary Industries Minister David Carter said he will not put a moratorium on the use of lethal set nets in the Taranaki region despite the death of a Maui's dolphin in unprotected Taranaki waters in January. Set net bans currently exist in some areas along the North Island coastline, but do not extend to the area of Taranaki where the dolphin died.

"For years the Government has denied that Maui's dolphins need protection in the Taranaki area, and when one dies in the area, they still refuse to act," said Green Party Oceans spokesperson Gareth Hughes.

"Research published by the Ministry of Fisheries in 2005 and video footage in 2009 show that Maui's dolphins swim in the area of the recent dolphin death.

"It was negligent of the Government not to act on the evidence and extend the existing set net ban and, as a result, another dolphin has died. To not act now is inexcusable.

"Maui's dolphins − the world's most endangered dolphin − are only found in New Zealand, and they need immediate protection."

In response to Oral Questions by the Green Party, Minister Carter said that his ministry and the Department of Conservation are working on a Maui Dolphin Recovery Plan, and he won't act until this work is completed.

"Minister Carter was unable to guarantee that more dolphins will not die while this work is being carried out," said Mr Hughes.

"The species will become extinct if more than one dolphin dies every 5 to 7 years. Two Maui's dolphins have died in the last 5 months.

"The Government is sitting on its hands. We can't afford to lose even one more Maui's dolphin, but the Minister won't do the obvious and extend the set net ban in Taranaki.

"Given his inaction, it is apparent that the Minister is prepared to be an accessory to the extinction of Maui's dolphins," said Mr Hughes.