KEY POINTS:
The drop in sea lion deaths in the southern squid fishery shows the benefits of government and industry working together to improve environmental performance, Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton says.
An estimated 56 sea lions were killed in the squid fishery this year, down from the estimated 110 killed last year.
Mr Anderton said that was partly due to a collaborative approach by the Government and the fishing industry under which all boats in the area used an "approved sea lion exclusion device".
That gave the animals, who chase squid into the fishers' nets, a chance to escape. "Government and the fishing industry have put in a concerted effort to lower the sea lion by-catch in the southern squid fishery. This is an excellent example of Government and industry working together."
Mr Anderton said fishing in the area was also less intense this year.
But Forest and Bird conservation advocate Kirstie Knowles last week said the number of sea lion deaths remained unsustainable and had serious implications for their declining population.
For every female sea lion killed in squid nets up to three could actually die when her unborn pups, or pups waiting on the shore, were taken into account, she said. There were also serious doubts about how well traumatised sea lions released through exclusion devices fared after their escape.
She said Mr Anderton should reduce the sea lion kill quota to near zero when he sets the limit for the coming season.
- NZPA
