Forest and Bird says a voluntary plan is failing to stem seabird deaths and albatross and petrels continue to be under threat of extinction from New Zealand fishing boats.
Mandatory measures that led to a 99 per cent reduction in albatross deaths through Japanese tuna boats fishing in New Zealand waters
should also apply to New Zealand boats, Forest and Bird said.
"They [Japanese tuna boats] once killed over 4000 albatross a year. Now they only catch less than 20 a year," said Forest and Bird senior researcher Barry Weeber.
"This lesson has been ignored by the Ministry of Fisheries."
One New Zealand longline boat had caught 300 seabirds in a single month.
"While some New Zealand boats apply high standards, many do not. New Zealand fishers are helping to drive albatross and petrels to extinction and that's not acceptable."
Forest and Bird said a report for the World Conservation Union blamed longline fishing for the decline in albatross species, and had upgraded the threatened status of six albatross species.
Voluntary measures proposed by the Government were not enough to stem the decline of the albatross, Mr Weeber said.
"Government needs to end the double standard where it supports stricter regulation in international negotiations but does not apply those same measures to New Zealand boats fishing in New Zealand waters."
Last month a draft national action plan to reduce seabird deaths caused by fishing boats was unveiled by Conservation Minister Chris Carter and Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson.
The plan lays out voluntary steps for the fishing industry to limit the snaring of seabirds.
- NZPA
Herald Feature: Conservation and Environment
Related links
