A US court has ordered an immediate ban on importing several fish species from New Zealand’s inshore trawling and gillnet fisheries off the west coast of the North Island.
Conservation group Sea Shepherd had asked the US Court of International Trade to bring in a ban, arguing a lack of action by the New Zealand government to protect critically endangered Māui dolphins.
Greenpeace Aotearoa oceans campaigner Ellie Hooper says: “After years of recklessly endangering a rare indigenous dolphin, the New Zealand fishing industry is now going to pay a price. It’s chicken feed compared to the price paid by Māui dolphins, but the fishing industry’s chickens are now coming home to roost.”
Hooper sees the ruling as a damning indictment on the governments lack of commitment to saving the remaining Māui dolphins.
“We need to see more action by the Labour Government to curtail the harm done by the fishing industry, from pushing Māui dolphins to extinction to destroying ancient coral habitats on seamounts with bottom trawling nets.The ban could cost New Zealand’s fishing industry up to $200m, but it’s nothing compared to the price paid by this tiny dolphin species found only in Aotearoa and the reputational damage that may be done to New Zealand,” says Hooper.
