The objective is to save Maui's Dolphins, but in so doing it is the local fishermen who will become the victims.
Perhaps we could better accept this measure if we thought it would work, but it won't. There have been no sightings of Maui's Dolphins in the proposed exclusion area for 25 years. Keeping us out will kill the industry yet it will not save the dolphins.
Below is a copy of a letter to the people of Taranaki and New Zealand that was published in the Taranaki Daily News on Saturday 14 April for your information.
We local fishermen are proposing an alternative strategy that could save both our industry and the Maui's Dolphins. We believe that working together in a collaborative approach will yield much better results than what is being proposed. We have specific proposals to bring to the table.
We would like an opportunity to put our alternative approach to the public and explain why it would be better for everyone, including the dolphins.
Open Letter to the People of Taranaki and New Zealand - 14 April 2012
The livelihood of several Taranaki fishermen, their crew and families will disappear overnight with the introduction of a set netting exclusion zone around most of the Taranaki Coast.
The result will be significantly reduced fish volumes into the Port of Taranaki leading to the likely closure of onshore processing and the likely loss of the Port as a fishing port.
The cost would be the loss of 40-50 jobs and $15 million of annual economic activity.
This additional exclusion zone, in addition to that already in place from the White Cliffs north to the Manganui Bluffs (Dargaville), is designed to protect the endangered Maui's Dolphin population despite the fact that there have been no sightings of this species in the proposed new exclusion zone for 25 years. It is supposed that the accidental capture in January, extensively reported, was a Maui's but is more likely to have been one of the much more plentiful Hector's Dolphins.
This extension of the set net prohibition zone is the only remedy so far proposed, even though sharks, orcas and disease take a huge toll on the species.
We predict a dual extinction - the Maui's and the local fishing industry. In effect, no one wins.
We are aware of our responsibilities and we are working to constantly improve our practice as instanced by the 25 year clean record with dolphins.
To make clear our intent and genuinely try to save this endangered species we are proposing a collaborative approach, as an alternative to the exclusion zone, is mounted involving Central and Local Government, Iwi, advocacy groups, other stakeholders and the industry.
To the table we would bring, for starters:
It is much more likely to save the Maui's without killing the industry.
Regards,
Ian McDougall, Keith Mawson, Peter Bennett, Robert and John Ansley, Chris Powell, Mike MacGregor, Lyle Jenkins and all our families, staff and our fishing crews.
