63951 (2024). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries

63951 (2024). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: Why was consultation for the Otago Fishing Related Mortality Limit (FRML) based on inaccurate data showing the population of Hector’s dolphins to be 640 with a corresponding FRML of six?

Hon Shane Jones: I am advised that the 2019 Spatial risk assessment of threats to Hector’s and Māui dolphins, which informed the consultation for Fishing-Related Mortality Limits, used all available information at the time to estimate the east coast South Island Hector’s dolphin population. During the consultation process, additional, finer-scale information on abundance and distribution was supplied. I am advised that this information (which was not available for use in the risk assessment) supported a smaller population estimate, and the FRML was set at 2.