1,000 signatures reached
To: Environment Canterbury
ECan Protect Hector's Dolphins through your Regional Plan
We call on ECan to protect Hector's from fishing related impacts, through the Council's Regional Plan.
Why is this important?
Upokohue/ Hector's dolphins are one of the rarest marine dolphins in the world. Their greatest concentrations are found on the west and east coasts of the South Island and have the conservation status of ‘nationally vulnerable’. Hector's dolphins are threatened by many human activities.
No dolphins should die as a result of fishing related practices. Yet fishing impacts have been devastating for the species. Dolphins continue to be killed in trawl nets. The rules around bycatch - and fishing near shore, are too weak.
The fishing boat Austro Carina grounded recently off Banks Peninsula and is leaking oil, threatening wildlife (Oct 2023). It was legally fishing within endangered Hector's habitat, less than 2m from shore, which shows it's not just direct fishing risks that threaten Hector's habitat, but indirect fishing activities too.
A small population of Hector’s lives in Lyttelton Harbour and is already threatened by industrial activities, noise and massive cruise ships. The competitive boat race SailGP also occurs in the dolphin habitat, and tourism also impacts on the dolphins.
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Environment Canterbury can fix this, and it must. We call on ECan to protect Hector's from fishing related impacts through the Council's Regional Plan.