Conservation of marine mammals in New Zealand

Abstract

New Zealand has a diverse fauna of marine mammals, comprising 35 cetacean and six pinniped species. None of these is hunted within the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone, but several species are killed incidentally in coastal or deep-water fisheries. Particularly affected are Hector's Dolphin, Hooker's Sea Lion, and the New Zealand Fur Seal. Detailed information on the nature and magnitude of incidental catches is patchy at best, and inadequate to assess nationally the impact on any one species. Other species are known to be caught, but a quantitative assessment of how many are caught per year is impossible. The impact of whale watching on sperm whales has attracted more attention, and impacts of tourism on other marine mammals are just beginning to be studied. We critically review the nature and management of the potential threats facing New Zealand marine mammals, including bycatch, entanglement in plastic debris, chemical pollution, and tourism. We discuss research needs and management recommendations for each conservation problem in turn.