Dear all,
Work over the past 8 years has identified that boat-dolphin interactions were
significantly impacting the bottlenose dolphin population living in Doubtful
Sound, New Zealand. The population has also suffered a drastic abundance
decline over the past 5-7 years, numbering now only 56 individuals (~18%
decline over that period).
In response to the identification of these threats the New Zealand Department
of Conservation has now put out a threat management discussion paper which
higlights the different options it is considering to mitigate the identified
threats. This document is opened for public comments (DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 5) and
can be found at:
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/page.aspx?id=44339
(a direct link to the pdf file is:
http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/getting-involved/consultations/current-consultations/bottlenose-dolphin-book.pdf)
DoC is considering 3 categories of management options (and combinations of
those):
1. the creation of no-boat zones and different use zones (the one we advised:
Lusseau & Higham 2004)
2. reducing boat traffic
3. improving behaviour around dolphins
Please register your views by emailing your comments on the discussion paper,
and selecting the options you find most appropriate, to Carrie Williams ([EMAIL
PROTECTED]). Alternatively you can also mail your comments:
FREE POST 62487
Director-General of Conservation
C/o Carrie Williams
Department of Conservation
PO Box 743
Invercargill 9840
New Zealand
A feedback form on which you can template your submission can be found at the
end of the discussion document.
References:
Lusseau D. & Higham J.E.S. 2004. Managing the impacts of dolphin-based tourism
through the definition of critical habitats: the case of Doubtful Sound, New
Zealand Tourism Management 25(6): 657-667 (a copy of it can be found at:
http://lusseau.org/publications.html)
thank you,
David
David Lusseau, PhD
Killam postdoctoral fellow
Dalhousie University
Department of Biology
1355 Oxford Street
Halifax, B3H 4J1, Canada
Tel: (902) 494 3723
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Website: http://www.lusseau.org
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