Tourism operators in Abel Tasman National Park may face restricted access to Tonga Island where seal pup numbers have decreased "significantly".
The pup finding comes from a Landcare Research study into seal behaviour. It forms part of a Department of Conservation view after concern grew about the effect of commercial seal-watching
operations on the marine mammals.
The researchers looked at two popular tourist areas, the Abel Tasman and Kaikoura, and used a site with no tourist traffic in Banks Peninsula as a comparison.
They concluded that tourism activities were having an effect on seal behaviour. At Tonga Island, pup numbers had decreased "significantly" in both years of the study, although a direct link was not proved.
About 180,000 people a year visit Abel Tasman National Park and nature-based tours focusing on fur seals are a key attraction, the report says.
"Fifteen tour operators are licensed to operate in the park - eight kayak companies, four water taxis, one ferry, one charter boat and one seal swim - and include viewing or swimming with fur seals as one of their highlights. There is no limit on the number of trips these groups may make each day."
DOC guidelines for Tonga Island do not allow landing. Kayaks must stay 10m from shore and motor boats must keep 15m away.
The study recommends increasing those minimum distances to 20m for kayaks and 30m for boats. It also recommends staggering visits by tour groups and varying viewing locations "so the same group of fur seals are not saturated every day by all tour operators".
A public meeting to discuss the study is to be held today in Motueka.
Review co-ordinator Ann Sheridan said it would be an open forum, although most of the people at a similar meeting in Kaikoura this month had been tourism operators.
She said it was all "pretty open" at this stage but there could be a restriction on the number of operators accessing Tonga Island.
The closing date for written submissions is June 18.
- NZPA
Herald Feature: Conservation and Environment
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