Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Annual Review 2012

AE&B Review: Protected species: Sea lions
3. New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri)
Scope of chapter This chapter outlines the biology of New Zealand (or Hooker’s) sea
lions (Phocarctos hookeri), the nature of fishing interactions, the
management approach, trends in key indicators of fishing effects and
major sources of uncertainty.
Area Southern parts of the New Zealand EEZ and Territorial Sea.
Focal localities Areas with significant fisheries interactions include the Auckland
Islands Shelf, the Stewart/Snares Shelf and Campbell Plateau.
Key issues Improving estimates of incidental bycatch in some trawl fisheries (e.g.
scampi), improving estimates of SLED post-exit survival, improving
understanding of interaction rate and improving understanding of the
demographic processes underlying recent population trends.
Emerging issues Assessing potential impacts of resource competition and/or resource
limitation through ecosystem effects on NZ sea lion population viability.
The role of fisheries impacts in light of ongoing declines in population
MPI Research
(current)
Other Govt
Research (current)
Links to 2030
objectives
Related
issues/chapters
3.1. Context
size. Estimation of interactions given low numbers of observed captures.
PRO2010-01 Estimating the nature & extent of incidental captures of
seabirds, marine mammals & turtles in New Zealand commercial
fisheries; PRO2012-02 Assess the risk posed to marine mammal
populations from New Zealand fisheries; External review of the Breen-
Fu-Gilbert model (SRP2011-04).
DOC Marine Conservation Services Programme (CSP): INT2012-01 To
understand the nature and extent of protected species interactions with
New Zealand commercial fishing activities; POP2012-01 To provide
information on the population level and dynamics of the New Zealand
sea lion at the Auckland Islands relevant to assessing the impacts of
commercial fishing impacts on this population; POP2012-02 To
determine the key demographic factors driving the observed population
decline of New Zealand sea lions at the Auckland Islands.
NIWA Research: SA123098 Multispecies modelling to evaluate the
potential drivers of decline in New Zealand sea lions; TMMA103
Conservation of New Zealand's threatened iconic marine megafauna.
Objective 6: Manage impacts of fishing and aquaculture.
Strategic Action 6.2: Set and monitor environmental standards,
including for threatened and protected species and seabed impacts.
See the New Zealand fur seal chapter.
Management of fisheries impacts on New Zealand (NZ) sea lions is legislated under the Marine
Mammals Protection Act (MMPA) 1978 and the Fisheries Act (FA) 1996. Under s.3E of the MMPA,
the Minister of Conservation, with the concurrence of the Minister for Primary Industries (formerly
the Minister of Fisheries), may approve a population management plan (PMP). Although a NZ sea
lion PMP was proposed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) in 2007 (DOC 2007), following
consultation DOC decided not to proceed with the PMP.
All marine mammal species are designated as protected species under s.2(1) of the FA. In 2005, the
Minister of Conservation approved the Conservation General Policy, which specifies in Policy 4.4 (f)
that “Protected marine species should be managed for their long-term viability and recovery
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