VIA – VOXY CO NZ

Maui Dolphin situation can’t get more urgent

Tuesday, 3 April, 2012 – 09:11

Note to Kate Wilkinson and David Carter from Ruth Dyson, Labour Conservation spokesperson: There are only 55 Maui’s dolphins left, in total, on the planet.

If more than two die prematurely in the next five years, extinction is pretty much guaranteed. And that’s pretty much agreed by everyone.

So what bit of ‘please act now’ don’t you get? Surely the possibility of being Ministers in charge of the extinction of a species doesn’t hold great appeal.

And turning the debate into a scrap between the fishing industry and conservation interests is dumb.

Fishing can and should continue – but there are ways and means to do that without also killing dolphins and seabirds.

Mr Carter, there’s a massive marketing opportunity for you here. How about agitating for the implementation of sustainable fishing methods?

Yes, it does contradict your refusal to enact emergency powers to extend set netting bans, but you should know by now that in unclear and risky conservation matters, a precautionary practice is usually followed…

For the full article go here:

http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/maui-dolphin-situation-cant-get-more-urgent/5/119602