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Forest & Bird » Marine and Coastal

1. Kirstie
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   For once some good news - threatened New Zealand sea lion pup numbers are up for the first time in years.

   DOC has today released it's annual report on status of New Zealand sea lions following summer survey work in the Sub Antarctics - now the main home of are very much depleted sea lions.

   Last year Forest & Bird expressed outrage at the Minister of Fisheries deciion to hike the sea lion kill quota by over 40%. This was despite a 31% drop in pups - the most significant drop and lowest recorded population count to date.

   Observations from this year's field work suggest things are not so grim. Over 600 females simply did not turn up to breed last year, the cause of this completely unknown.

   While we should welcome this news with great relief, it shouldn't divert us from the fact that NZ sea lion numbers are at an all time low for recent records:

   

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   Posted 1 year ago #

2. Kirstie
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   For more information please see the report on the DOC website:

   http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/conservation/marine-and-coastal/marine-conservation-services/csp-reports/nz-sea-lion-research-trip-december-2009-to-february-2010/

   The Southern squid fishery, which is set an allowable kill rate by the Fisheries Minister, began fishing again this year on February 1.

   For more info and to monitor the kill tally, visit our web pages:http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/campaigns/save-our-sea-lions

   Posted 1 year ago #

3. Piwakawaka
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   Hey Kirstie, what is the 600 females 'not turning up' all about? sounds a bit odd to me. Does the link from DOC shed any light on it? it is good news that pup numbers have risen, but compared to what they were at just twenty years ago, it's bloody disgraceful to have such an endangered and beautiful animal hanging on the edge of extinction. glad to hear there are more around tho.

   Posted 1 year ago #

4. matata
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   Great to hear some positive news in this time when things environmental seem to be getting hammered left right and centre.

   Posted 1 year ago #

5. Kaipara
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   While it's good that there are 600 more females this season, we hope in the current climate of environmental destruction, this dosn't encourage the Ministry of Fisheries to hike the allowable kill rate of sealions again, at a time when there is a genuine chance for the sealions to breed and increase the population.

   Posted 1 year ago #

6. Yachtie 61
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   I want to help by writing to Min Phil Heatley and Min. Tim Groser as per the Feb issue of Forest and Bird Magazine... but am confused about the numbers of killed seals allowed ... That Magazine says 76 ...which I cannot see mentioned on the F & B website ...only higher figures.....
   Which is correct please.
   and am soooo glad to see the upturn on the graph - pup production .

   Posted 1 year ago #

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