New Zealand sea lions/pakake are endemic and are classified ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They were once distributed across mainland New Zealand/Aotearoa, until humans decimated them due to overhunting. A remnant population fled to the Subantarctic Islands. A refuge, the Subantarctic Islands was not to be.
The Southern Squid Trawl Fishery (SQU6T), part of Aotearoa’s billion dollar fishing industry, operates in the Subantarctic Islands and has had significant direct (bycatch) and indirect (starvation) impacts on sea lions.
One year after a 24 percent decrease in pup births in the Subantarctic Islands – the lowest pup count recorded; Shane Jones, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries of New Zealand is scrapping the essential Fishing Related Mortality Limit (FRML) of 52 sea lions per year. This will absolve fisheries of their responsibility towards protecting sea lions.
Sign Greenpeace Aotearoa’s petition: https://community.greenpeace.org.nz/petitions/reinstate-the-death-limit-for-endangered-sea-lions?share=1253e4b0-76fa-4635-a637-5758ae34e371&source=email&utm_medium=post-action&utm_source=email&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR33rKFYrDS84ZmG9kIUx1bY0OcbvSNuvuGd1hdWaTcSeUhh6W_CglJjysY_aem_AeCUb8ItOLYF1vBjfKLRVJm62huS-L1EAVcG5E1cev28A_dw6jnTSinCQwF7B4a4jvN8TmAYBPp08uv99SbdJ_z3 and do your part to protect sea lions while they are still in existence.
Photo: Taken a safe distance (10 metres) from the sea lion bull.