Hoiho critical issue for Forest & Bird

South Otago Forest & Bird committee member Jim Young feeds a baby yellow-eyed penguin during a recent Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust soft release at Long Pt, Catlins. Photo: Supplied

South Otago Forest & Bird says the survival of yellow-eyed penguins will remain a key issue facing the conservation group during the coming year, as it meets for its annual meeting tonight.

The group had been involved with two main regional issues during the past year, in the shape of forest ecosystem improvements and marine conservation, but the plight of the yellow-eyed penguin, or hoiho, was critical, committee member Jim Young said.

"Although some of our activities, like predator trapping and revegetation, are proving successful in solving some of the challenges being faced by yellow-eyed penguins along our south coast, the stark fact is that penguin numbers at Long Point [Catlins] have plummeted from 50 to 17 over the past five years.

"Unfortunately, it's a complex issue not being helped by flaky ideas and resultant inaction on the part of some, but it requires action now if the species is to survive beyond a few decades."

Projections suggested yellow-eyed penguins could become extinct by 2060, or possibly sooner, if appropriate action was not taken, Mr Young said.

That would be a tragedy for all New Zealanders, and marine wildlife more generally, he believed.

"Penguins have a uniquely appealing character, and this particular species is the world's rarest and most threatened," Mr Young said.

"Its plight, and the outcome of our collective efforts to save it, are symbolic of the dire situation facing marine life here and around the world at this time."

The group had been active in bringing the crisis to public attention during the past year, including outreach through media, market stalls and schools, and a penguin "funeral march" down Balclutha's main street in March last year.

Mr Young said he believed the message was spreading slowly among the general public, although the same could not be said for those people in positions of authority.

"After decades of effort by conservationists, we seem to be little closer to obtaining protection for penguins at sea.

"The recently released report from the South-East Marine Protection Forum didn't propose any protected areas in the Catlins other than a tiny section of the Tautuku Estuary. That's been a great disappointment to our members, and something we'll continue to advocate for as it moves forward into public consultation."

Establishing a marine reserve at Long Pt, where penguin starvation was a key cause of declining numbers, was essential, Mr Young said.

Elsewhere in South Otago, the group was taking steps to mitigate the effects of deer and pigs on native vegetation.

"Forest & Bird are involved with the Tautuku Restoration Project in the Catlins, and both there and at Otanomomo, near Balclutha, deer and pigs are an increasing issue. We rely on hunters to pick at numbers, but it's an ongoing fight to protect our replanting efforts," Mr Young said.

On a positive note, the group's biannual native plant sales, supplied by an extensive nursery at the Youngs' HinaHina home, continued to thrive.

"We raised about $5000 at the most recent sale this month, and interest has been strong enough to foster two sales a year in recent times. It's as much about fundraising as encouraging native plantings, really."

In the meantime, he and his fellow "small, but dedicated" group of South Otago conservationists would continue to work hard on behalf of nature locally.

"There's always more to do, but we plug on."

Forest & Bird South Otago AGM, St Andrews Church Hall, Clyde St, Balclutha. Monday, April 23. Pot luck tea from 6pm.

richard.davison@odt.co.nz