By 3 News online staff
The death of a rare Hector's dolphin in Akaroa Harbour has the Green Party calling for a total ban on recreational set nets in the area.
Scientists have confirmed the death of the rare mammal in the harbour was caused by a set net, which are currently allowed to be used in some inner bays from April 1 to September 30 to catch flat fish.
But Greens conservation spokeswoman Eugenie Sage says a total ban is now necessary to stop more of the nationally endangered species being caught and drowning.
Set nets catch everything that tries to pass through.
"If we are to properly protect Hector's dolphins, we should ensure all of the harbour and Banks Peninsula coast is set net-free," she says.
"It's been only a week since set net fishing was allowed for the year, and already one Hector's dolphin has been killed."
Because the dolphins live close to the coast, Ms Sage says it makes them highly vulnerable to being caught in the nets.
"Making all waters less than 100 metres deep throughout the Hector's dolphin range set net-free and ensuring these laws are enforced would be a major step to preventing dolphin deaths."
The dolphins are one of the smallest marine mammal species in the world, and their population numbers around 7270.
3 News
source: newshub archive
