Endangered Dolphin Species Protected
by Becky A. Dayhuff and David Milner
The New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries recently banned commercial use of set nets to catch fish along the upper west coast of North Island in order to help prevent the endangered Maui’s dolphin from becoming extinct.
"All commercial set netting (has been) banned within four nautical miles of the coast," said a Ministry spokesperson. "Amateur set netting (was) already banned in the zone."
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, there are only about 50 Maui?s dolphins currently alive. "The Maui’s dolphin is the world’s rarest marine dolphin," said World Wildlife Fund - New Zealand Chief Executive Jo Breese.
Members of the species were called North Island Hector’s dolphins until the end of last year. The renaming was prompted by the discovery that the animals are genetically distinct from Hector’s dolphins.
"The World Wildlife Fund welcomes the restriction on commercial...set netting," said Breese. "However, the measures should go further. We believe that trawling within the dolphins’ range needs to be banned. We have been assured that fishers do not trawl within the dolphin’s range, but sightings show this to be untrue. Therefore, we must act as decisively as possible to save this species from extinction."
© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.
The New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries recently banned commercial use of set nets to catch fish along the upper west coast of North Island in order to help prevent the endangered Maui’s dolphin from becoming extinct.
"All commercial set netting (has been) banned within four nautical miles of the coast," said a Ministry spokesperson. "Amateur set netting (was) already banned in the zone."
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, there are only about 50 Maui?s dolphins currently alive. "The Maui’s dolphin is the world’s rarest marine dolphin," said World Wildlife Fund - New Zealand Chief Executive Jo Breese.
Members of the species were called North Island Hector’s dolphins until the end of last year. The renaming was prompted by the discovery that the animals are genetically distinct from Hector’s dolphins.
"The World Wildlife Fund welcomes the restriction on commercial...set netting," said Breese. "However, the measures should go further. We believe that trawling within the dolphins’ range needs to be banned. We have been assured that fishers do not trawl within the dolphin’s range, but sightings show this to be untrue. Therefore, we must act as decisively as possible to save this species from extinction."
© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.
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