On 4 February the UN released a report describing how large-scale fishing operations are seriously threatening the lives of the majority of toothed whale populations, which include dolphins and porpoises.
In it they report some 86 per cent of all toothed whale species are at risk from entanglement and death in gillnets, traps, weirs, longlines and trawls.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33677&Cr=unep&Cr1=
New Zealand is a well known hot-spot for marine mammals - especially toothed whales.
Forest & Bird has for many years now been at the forefront of efforts to rid our waters of gill nets or set nets - an indescriminate fishing method. Set nets are not only the number 1 threat to our endangered Hector's and critically endangered Maui's dolphins, but they are also responsible for the deaths of seabirds, other dolphins, sharks and non-target fish.
To find out more and help us with this campaign, please visit our Hector's and Maui's dolphin web pages:
http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/campaigns/help-our-hectors