DoC under fire over dolphin tourism

The Department of Conservation is being blamed for the number of tourists disturbing dolphins in the Bay of Islands.

In a discussion document issued by DoC earlier this year, marine mammal research scientist Dr Rochelle Constantine suggested that too many tourists could be disturbing the 520 bottlenose dolphins between Doubtless Bay and Tauranga.

She recommended the time tourists spent with the dolphins should be restricted, giving the dolphins more time to rest.

The document proposed changes to permits for tourist operators who run ventures associated with bottlenose dolphins.

They included time and interaction limits, as well as giving dolphins a lunchbreak from tourist activities.

DoC received 40 submissions.

In spite of a restriction on the number of new dolphin tour operations so that studies could determine whether they would adversely affect the dolphins, six large boats were now visiting the dolphins each day, compared with only two when the restriction was introduced.

"Therefore DoC needs to acknowledge responsibility for this situation," a submitter said.

Another submitter questioned how well the department's granting of permits to operators would stand up to review or examination by the auditor-general.

The research showed that dolphin "milling behaviour" increased with boat numbers.

However, Dr Constantine could not establish whether "milling" was bad.

Other submitters agreed that swimming with juvenile dolphins should not be allowed and a three-boat rule for interacting with dolphins should be enforced.

The effect non-permitted vessels and recreational boaties had on dolphin behaviour also needed to be established, submitters said.

DoC marine mammal protection ranger Alan Fleming said all the submissions would go into a report and that DoC's regional general manager Peter Lawless, based in Hamilton, would decide what changes would be required.

It was not certain how long this process would take.

The department released the submissions only after an application under the Official Information Act.

It had removed all reference to the names of the submitters.

- NZPA