Shame on National!

Wed, Jul 29 2009

So says the Green Party, after National voted yesterday to kill a bill that would seek to strengthen implementation of NZ’s Marine Mammal Protection Act and related laws.

The Greens are especially upset because National appears to have reneged on a pre-election commitment made in October 2008 in response to questioning by the Science Media Center. Here’s what John Key said at the time ( full exchange here):

“Management of our marine environment is a balance between environmental and economic concerns as fishing, ecotourism and conservation all call on this resource. Creating marine reserves is part of the solution but reserves must result in scientifically justified biodiversity protection. Consultation is also vital to get both community buy-in and ensure fishers are motivated to help police such areas …

With respect to Hectors and Maui dolphins, they are among New Zealand’s most precious and iconic species. Further deterioration in their populations must be halted. New Zealanders can be assured that National will rely on the science to determine what is causing the dolphins’ decline and act on that science.”

And here’s what the Greens say after National’s refusal to even send the reform bill to a Select Committee, where the issues might have been fully vetted ( full statement of Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei here):

“The National Party has today broken election promises to ensure the recovery of Hector’s and Maui dolphins,” said Mrs Turei.

“National’s callous disregard to the plight of our iconic species that are sliding towards extinction under the current law is unfathomable,” said Mrs Turei.

“National seems so blinded by ideology that they are happy to see dolphins and albatrosses go extinct in the name of reducing compliance cost.”

The Marine Mammals Protection Act 1974 allows for population management plans to ensure endangered species survive, but not one plan exists. Mrs Turei said, “The Bill would have clarified the law to ensure these tools were used”.

“Instead of clear plans to protect marine animals, we have Maui dolphins reduced to just 111, fairy terns with just 10 breeding pairs, and 31% fewer sea lions were born this season.”

New Zealand waters are home to half the world’s whales, dolphins and albatrosses – and is known as the “seabird capital of the world”. Many marine animals, such as the NZ sea lion, exist only in our waters.

Today, a landmark new study published in the international journal Conservation Biology stated that an extinction crisis looms in Oceania, and urged governments to act urgently to address the causes of species extinctions across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The authors were particularly concerned about the impacts of fisheries and the effects of by-catch.

“I am dismayed that the Prime Minister opposes this crucial Bill, when our marine tourism industry generates over $100 million a year, and our overseas markets are beginning to refuse to stock our fish because they fail sustainability standards,” said Mrs Turei.

No doubt the National Party will say this issue is about striking the “right balance” between economic concerns and the environment. However, this “trade-off” is often spurious to begin with. And in this case the Greens are rightfully arguing that National’s position indeed will wind up injuring NZ fish exports in particular (Mrs. Turei provided concrete examples here), and the nation’s “clean, green” brand more generally.

On this one, shame on National!
ends

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