Integrated Environmental Management 101: IEM a maui's dolphin case study.

The plight of the Maui’s dolphin presents a complex and interesting case study for IEM. The dolphins are threatened with extinction and this has reflected badly on the New Zealand governments management of the issue. At a time when the government must take immediate action I present a scenario where the interests of stakeholders may be having an influence on the management strategy the government has taken.

Figure 1 - Hector's dolphin and baby

History

The Maui’s dolphin is a very rare dolphin found of the North East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. In 2002 it was discovered to be genetically separate from the Hector’s dolphin and since their discovery their population has reduced from 111 individuals down to just 55. Since 2008 both Hector’s and Maui’s populations have been under a Threat Management Plan (TMP) to manage the risk of dolphin capture in set nets from both commercial and local fishermen. However, the TMP has not adequately managed this issue and the Maui’s population is under the very real threat of extinction. This has caused a stir both nationally and internationally. The Maui’s are slow to mature, with a short life span and low reproduction rate; losing one more individual to a set net fatality could be the catalyst that spirals the population towards extinction. The threat of extinction and the pressure from international organisations (WWF, IWC) has led to government action, in July 2012 the Ministry of Primary Industries implemented an Interim Set Net Measures (ISNM) Plan to protect Maui’s dolphin which included an extension of the current set net bans south along the Taranaki Coastline out to 2nm offshore and, with a requirement for an observer to be on board from 2-7nm offshore (Figure 2). The government has also brought forward a review of the Threat Management Plan to 2012 which was scheduled for 2013.

Figure 2 - Current set net bans according to the ISNM Plan

Stakeholders

The extension of set net bans along the Taranaki coastline has resulted in the closure of several fisheries. There is a call from DOC to extend the set net fishing ban out to 7nm offshore to reflect the range of the Maui’s dolphin, however the government has allowed set net fishing within 2-7nm offshore and is calling the ISNM Plan “a balance between sustainability and utilisation” (MPI, 2012). Is this reaction from the government too soft considering a species is threatened with extinction? There is another more powerful stakeholder affected by the Maui’s; offshore oil companies currently extract from the Taranaki basin and pose a huge threat to the survival of the dolphins if a catastrophic oil event were to occur. At present the ISNM Plan does not conflict with the permit to mine areas allocated to TAG oil extraction company (Figure 3). According to TAGs map, there is a large oil and gas area within the Maui’s Marine Mammal Sanctuary.

Figure 3 - Oil and gas in the Taranaki Basin (Tag Oil, 2012)

The government is faced with several issues. A responsibility to protect an endangered dolphin from extinction with the international community watching; a responsibility to fishers to ensure their science on the Maui’s dolphins range is correct so as not to ban fishing in areas where the dolphins do not live; this is balanced against what the government wants which is to further oil exploration and extraction to help the NZ economy.

Stakeholder & Government Interest Conflict

The range of the Maui’s dolphin must be known as accurately as possible to ensure that the fishers are only allowed to fish where the Maui’s do not live. The presence of offshore oil needs to be readdressed. There are some really tough questions that need to be asked of the government.

If the Maui’s dolphins become extinct and offshore oil exploration goes ahead – will this appear to have been deliberate on the government’s behalf? The fishers will take the flak for the extinction, and as there will be no more Maui’s dolphins the marine mammal sanctuary will no longer have a purpose and the oil companies will be able to start exploration on the reserves within the marine mammal sanctuary.

The Maui’s dolphin only numbered 111 individuals when it was discovered as a new species. With the information that we already had on the reproduction rate of Hector’s dolphins it is difficult to understand why management of the Maui’s dolphins was not more comprehensive from day one. It is possible that the Maui’s are already below a minimum viable population and will not recover. The Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins look the same. Has the government been too complacent because the Maui’s dolphin has a cousin that looks so similar? Whether the Maui’s and Hector’s look the same or not they are still defined as separate species and the extinction will have a CATASTROPHIC impact on New Zealand’s “Clean & Green” image. I also wonder how this issue will impact on people willing to announce the discovery of new species in the future?