By 3 News online staff
The mission to save the critically endangered Maui's dolphin has reached London, with a 156,000 signature petition being delivered to the New Zealand High Commission.
Conservation group Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) International presented the petition to Deputy High Commissioner Rob Taylor on Friday.
Organisation chief executive Thomas Tennhardt says international concern is growing over "New Zealand's persistent failure to protect Maui's dolphins".
"Extinction is inevitable unless New Zealand heeds the unanimous advice of the international scientific community and protects the dolphins' habitat immediately."
It is estimated there are only 55 of the dolphins left in the world.
The petition calls for the Government to implement advice from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature which called for the ban of gillnetting and trawling to a water depth of 100 metres through the dolphins' habitat to avoid their extinction.
NABU head of endangered species conservation Dr Barbara Maas says the dolphins' home is "riddled with nets and seismic blasts" and oil and mining operations are "just around the corner".
Earlier this year, the Green Party called for the dolphins' sanctuary to further protect the species.
But the Government says there have been no recorded deaths of Maui's dolphins as a result of the oil and gas industry around Taranaki.
It says there are already protections including compulsory regulations to protect marine animals from exploration activities.
A set net ban area was also doubled to 6200 square km in 2012 to cover all areas with confirmed sightings of the dolphin and all fishing vessels have observers on board.
In an open letter to the Government, 104 international conservation organisations said unless New Zealand acts on the advice of the international scientific community, they will urge a boycott of New Zealand seafood.
3 News
source: newshub archive
