Hi All - attached is some information about New Zealand Sea Lions, and a request forwarded from Forest and Bird.
New DOC study reveals our nationally critical New Zealand sea lions are likely to become extinct in just 23 years at the current levels of by-catch
NZ sea lions were once found all around coastal New Zealand but are now restricted to sub-Antarctic Islands.
Our sea lions are the rarest in the world. NZ sea lions are in the same endangered/threatened category as kakapo and Maui dolphins. The squid fishery trawls in the same area as the main breeding population of the threatened NZ sea lion. The fishery could catch squid without NZ sea lion or seabird by-catch if it changed its fishing method from trawling to jigging. We urgently need your help, sign our online petition to stop NZ sea lions becoming extinct
The squid fishery open on 1st February and action needs to be taken now!
Sign the online petition at www.forestandbird.org.nz asking that New Zealand Sea Lions be given full protection under the Marine Mammals Protection Act (they are currently "protected"under the Fisheries Act); and that allowed fishing methods change from trawling to jigging.
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