NZ reportedly votes against protecting Maui and Hectors dolphins - an inane decision...

 

 

New Zealand was one of only two countries to oppose further protection measures for Maui's and Hector's dolphins at the world's largest conservation conference, it has been revealed.

The secret vote took place last week at the International Union for Conservation of Nature's conference in Korea, where government officials and environmental groups met to outline environmental policy goals for the next four years.
Some 117 countries and 460 organisations voted for New Zealand to ban gill and trawl nets in waters up to 100 metres deep.
Maui's and Hector's dolphins live only in New Zealand's coastal waters.
But New Zealand voted against the move, and in a statement told member countries the recommendation is not backed by scientific evidence.
The vote was revealed only after a Department of Conservation staff member told the congress that the Ministry for Primary Industries had instructed it to vote that way.
DoC has previously indicated that it does not approve of the ministry's dolphin protection measures.
Environmental groups and Opposition political parties say the New Zealand vote is outrageous.
Rebecca Bird, the World Wide Fund for Nature's marine spokesperson, says DoC and the ministry need to sort out their differences immediately.
"I think it's incredibly sad that the New Zealand Government perspective that's presented at a meeting like this where there is such an opportunity for New Zealand to be the conservation leader they've been known to be in the past.
"It's a lost opportunity and a real shame, and I really do feel for the people present having to carry the New Zealand Government's line on this."

This is an ongoing matter. I will update this here when further information is available. The New Zealand public supports the conservation of these and other endangered species. I cannot understand the New Zealand Government's inane decision. As said above, the Maui and Hectors dolphins live only in New Zealand coastal waters. It really tarnishs New Zealand's fine reputation in conservation matters.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7711927/Dolphin-vote-tarnishes-NZs-reputation

Ecospree