Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:620;Page:15451] 
3.  
JEANETTE FITZSIMONS (Co-Leader—Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Conservation 
: Does he have any concerns about options proposed by the Ministry of Fisheries to increase the number of rare New Zealand sea lions that are allowed to be killed in the southern squid trawl fishery? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 My advice is that the Ministry of Fisheries’ preference is for a fishing-related mortality limit of 115 sea lions in the 2004-05 fishing season. This is less than the 124 sea lion limit established by the Court of Appeal for the previous fishing season. The Ministry of Fisheries states in its initial position paper that the 598 sea lion limit developed by one particular model is inappropriate—a view shared by my department. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Does the Minister acknowledge that the catch in the last year to which he refers is the highest for nearly a decade and was only as high as that because the court overturned the original limit of 62 and why does he think the fishing industry will ever adopt best practice to reduce deaths if the number of permitted mortalities goes up every year? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I have been dialoguing with the squid fishing industry and I am convinced that it is as committed as the Department of Conservation to see that the by-kill is reduced. We are exploring a population management plan which is being developed by the department at the moment which will be released next year. 
David Parker 
: What is the Government’s objective for the future of the New Zealand sea lion? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The Government’s objective is to see the sea lion removed from the endangered species list. These magnificent animals are unique to New Zealand and my department is developing as I said earlier a population management plan for them in accordance with the Marine Mammals Protection Act. I am working closely with my good friend the Minister of Fisheries to achieve a sustained reduction in the numbers of marine mammals that are accidentally killed in our fisheries. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Will the Ministry of Fisheries’ preferred option succeed in restoring sea lions to unthreatened status within 20 years as he has been required to do since they were gazetted in 1996 as a threatened species under the Marine Mammals Protection Act and why does he think it is appropriate to leave it to the fishing industry to reduce kill when it has challenged every decision the Minister of Fisheries has made to try to reduce kill? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: I do not think it is appropriate just to leave it to the fishing industry to manage the conservation measures that are taking place to protect this species. Setting by-kill limits is one of a comprehensive basket of conservation measures we can take to protect this species. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Has he received any advice from his officials that the use of lights in jigging on squid boats could dramatically reduce sea lion mortality and will he urge his colleague the Minister of Fisheries to use his powers to regulate to require those technologies to be used? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: Those technologies are certainly much more marine mammal friendly but I do understand from my dialogues with the squid fishing industry that the stormy oceans of the southern seas do put at risk certain technologies that can be used safely elsewhere.