Our native sealion pups need your urgent help. These vulnerable youngsters will die of starvation if their mothers are among the 93 sealions set to drown in squid trawl nets around the Auckland Islands this season.
Each female sealion killed in a squid trawl net further threatens this vulnerable species.
The population is estimated to be at its second lowest in ten years and last season’s pup production was down on the previous two years.
Two thousand sealions have drowned in squid nets since 1980 causing an estimated 1,000 pups to die of starvation, unable to survive without their mothers to feed them.
This high death toll is a continuing concern for the survival of the species. The NZ sealion is listed as vulnerable on the global "Red List’ of species threatened with extinction.
Already in the 2006-2007 season an estimated 15 sealions have drowned in the first two weeks, with dozens more set to drown in squid trawl nets this season so we urgently need your help to Save Our Sealions. Please support Forest & Bird’s appeal. Thank you for your generous donation.
Dr Peter Maddison
Forest and Bird National President
Your donation will enable Forest and Bird to
Campaign for the sealion 'kill quota' to be reduced closer to zero and encourage the fishing industry to switch to jigging, a safer squid fishing method previously used in this fishery .
Advocate for the species in relation to the NZ sealion population management plan that the Department of Conservation is developing.
Undertake research to identify sealion 'hot spots' in NZ waters where marine protected areas will help Save Our Sealions.
Conservation successes Forest & Bird has recently help achieve
New Kupe/KevinSmith Marine Reserve announced on Wellington’s south coast
A new South Island High Country conservation park established at Ruataniwha near Twizel
New fisheries rules announced requiring longline fishing vessels to set their hooks at night to reduce seabird bycatch
Legal protection for great white sharks in New Zealand waters
The Manawatu Estuary officially recognised as a wetland of international importance
20,000 signatures on the Save Our Sealions petition gathered urging the Government to reduce the number of sea lions killed in squid fishing operations
Don't delay - please help Forest and Bird Save Our Sealions
