Earth Island Institute’s International Marine Mammal Project supports the United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency’s (NOAA) initiative to list New Zealand’s Hector’s Dolphin Subspecies (C. hectori hectori) as Threatened and the Maui's Dolphin Subspecies (Cephalorhynchus hectori maui) as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
We agree that New Zealand needs to substantially improve its marine mammal protection and fisheries management systems in order to secure a future for both these species.
Clearly, urgent action is needed.
Hector’s dolphin is considered to be one of the world’s rarest dolphin species. The North Island Maui’s dolphin, is estimated to have a population of around 111 individuals and is ranked as nationally critical by the Department of Commerce and critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Both dolphin subspecies have a lifespan of only about 20 years, have low reproduction rate (calving every 2-3 years) and have late onset of sexual maturity (7-9 years). These factors result in a low maximum population growth rate, which put Hector’s and Maui’s dolphin at threat from even low levels of human-induced mortality.
Threats to both these species include:
Action by NOAA to propose listing the species on the Endangered Species List would help spur New Zealand to take further action to secure a future for these species.
It is important that New Zealand increase the size and number of sanctuaries in the species range, increased levels of fisheries monitoring (via observer coverage and electronic monitoring) and put in place stricter regulations that are rigorously enforced.
