Hughes Gareth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHughes Gareth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 02 July 2013. Volume:691;Page:11421. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.GARETH HUGHES (Green)to theMinister of Conservation: Will he implement the recommendations to protect Maui’s dolphins contained in the report of this year’s meeting of the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee; if not why not?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister of Conservation):The Government will certainly be giving careful consideration to the committee’s advice released over the weekend as part of our review of the threat management plan for Māui’s dolphin. In respect of the member’s “why” I note four points about the committee’s report. Firstly the committee commends the Government on its interim measures to protect Māui’s dolphin. Secondly it acknowledges a mistake in last year’s report which is not a criticism but notes that it is not foolproof. Thirdly it has dropped last year’s advice that the gill-netand trawl fisheries ban extend offshore to the 100-metre depth contour—a provision the member was insisting last month that we implement. And fourthly I note this is the committee’s recommendation to the International Whaling Commission which has not yet considered or adopted the report.Gareth Hughes: If so then will he implement the International Whaling Commission recommendation for “full closure of any fisheries within the range of Māui’s dolphins that are known to pose a risk of bycatch”; if not why not?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: The key issue is about defining where that habitat is. At the moment we have an area of many thousands of square kilometres included in the trawl ban and also included in the set-net ban. The question is how wide out that should be. We do not want to be in the business of either banning trawling or set-netting where the Māui’s dolphin is not but we are also determined to make sure that we do all practical steps to ensure the survival of this pretty special species.Gareth Hughes: Given that both trawl nets and set nets can kill a Māui’s dolphin why is the Minister currently allowing lethal trawling in areas where set nets are already prohibited to protect Māui’s dolphins?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Yes by nature fishing is somewhat lethal; it catches fish. The question is that—Gareth Hughes: 55 left; 55 left.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Well let us be clear about the numbers over the period of the last decade. Last year there was one dolphin caught. The Government immediately responded by banning set-netting in that area and extending the role of observers. Sometimes I wonder whether the only way to satisfy the Green Party would be to shut down the entire fishing industry.Gareth Hughes: It is a clear question. Will the Minister prohibit trawling in areas where set nets are currently prohibited to protect the last 55 Māui’s dolphins?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Currently we have prohibited set-net fishing in an area of 6000 square kilometres—that is 100 square kilometres per dolphin. In respect of the trawl ban we have banned trawling in 1700 square kilometres for 55 dolphins. So a huge area has been set aside for the very reason that we want to ensure the survival of this species.Gareth Hughes: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was a simple question: will he ban trawling in the areas where he has banned—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Minister has very adequately addressed the question.Hon Ruth Dyson: Will the Minister be promoting a precautionary approach in the areas where Māui’s dolphins have been found rather than continuing the debate about whether they are found in those areas given that there are currently only 55 adult Māui’s dolphins left which is predicted to go to 10 within our lifetimes or will he put his name alongside the extinction of that species?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: It is very easy to say precautionary; the question is how precautionary because if you want to be absolutely precautionary about protection of the Māui’s dolphin then you would ban fishing around New Zealand’s entire coast. That would be impractical. What I do say to the member is that this Government will take all practical steps to ensure the survival of the Māui’s dolphin but we are not going to ban fishing in areas where it is highly unlikely that there will be a Māui’s dolphin.