The effect of an exploding seal population on New Zealand's lucrative fishing industry needs to be examined in a scientific way, a fishing company executive says.
Talley's Fisheries director Peter Talley was one of a four-member panel debating a South Island seal cull at the Recreational Fishing Council conference, in Nelson.
He said fur seals ate millions of dollars worth of fish each year and were ransacking commercial fishing grounds.
The panel agreed that indiscriminate culling would not be accepted by the commercial fishing industry, politicians or the public, but it expressed frustration over the misconception about fur seals.
"The issue revolves around the continuing protection of cute, brown-eyed fur seals," Mr Talley said.
"It needs to be examined because there are many emotive urban-based activists who have the ear of politicians."
The fishing industry was environmentally aware and realised an expanding fur seal population would result in a marine imbalance.
Mr Talley said New Zealand's estimated fur seal population of 60,000 annually ate 300,000 tonnes of fish more than the commercial domestic catch of 270,000 tonnes.
"It is a scientific fact that they need 5kg a day to maintain condition and ... can kill up to three times that weight daily to feed."
Their diet included ling, crayfish, blue cod, red cod, paua, hoki, blue fin and yellow-eyed penguins.
Seals took about 8400 tonnes of hoki off the West Coast each year, worth between $18 million and $20 million to the industry.
"Seals are increasing in numbers and breeding range and are now found as far north as Ninety Mile Beach.
"No one is saying we wipe them out, all we are asking for is moderation."
New Zealand Seafood magazine editor Peter Stevens said the problem had to be faced head-on.
"As long as the public are conned by this icon of environmental management, no politician will consider anything like a cull."
The problem would continue until the public of New Zealand woke up to the facts, he said.
Nicky Gibbs, of the Seafood Fishing Council, said the issue was likely to become political, but needed "rational public debate, not emotive argument."
- NZPA
Seal numbers a "threat" to fishing industry
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.