It recommends a ban on set and trawl nets in the dolphin's habitat, which it says runs from Maunganui (north) to Whanganui (south) out to 20 nautical miles.
A set net ban is already in place in a smaller stretch of coast out to seven nautical miles between Dargaville and the Waiwhakaiho River and, following an amendment late last year, out to two nautical miles between the Waiwhakaiho River and Hawera.
Labour and the Green Party have agreed the committee's recommendations for expanding the ban should be implemented.
Conservation Minister Nick Smith has agreed that set nets are the greatest threat to the subspecies' survival but told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report that existing measures are adequate to protect the area where the dolphin is found.
There have been verified sightings outside the existing area of protection, WWF New Zealand Head of Campaigns Peter Hardstaff said today.
"It's critical that we do the maximum possible to protect the Maui's dolphin rather than the minimum we can get away with."
He called on the government to support the commercial fishing industry to shift to dolphin-friendly methods, perhaps by adjusting the quota management system.
This month's poll also found 51 per cent of respondents would be more likely to vote for a party that spent money to support the industry's shift to different methods, while 27 per cent said it would have no effect and 10 per cent said it would make them less likely to vote for a party.
The poll took place from June 5 to June 15 as part of a wider online survey and surveyed 1031 New Zealanders aged over 18, weighted by age, gender and region to reflect New Zealand's online population. It has a maximum margin of error +/- 3.1 per cent at a confidence interval of 95 per cent.
Like what you see? For weekly Element news sign up to our newsletter. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.
