Birds of a Feather …

Photo credit: Andrew Maloney

Earlier in the year, fishers agreed not to fish within 4 nautical miles of Codfish Island to reduce the risk to these endangered birds. This move was welcomed by Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage and signalled the industry’s constructive approach to helping yellow-eyed penguins.

The industry has helped in other ways too, with Sanford and NZ King Salmon donating food to Penguin Place Conservation Reserve where sick or injured birds are rehabilitated.

This collaboration has gone from strength to strength.

In May this year, Trudi Webster from the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust attended the NZ Federation of Commercial Fishermen’s conference to talk about these birds and the risks they faced. Dr Webster’s presentation was very well received and in August, Fisheries Inshore CEO Jeremy Helson was invited to talk at the Yellow-eyed Penguin Symposium in Dunedin.

In a presentation titled “How can Fisheries and Yellow-eyed Penguins co-exist” Dr Helson outlined the work FINZ was doing nationally to reduce the risks to protected species and more specifically yellow-eyed penguins. 

One of the key initiatives is a working group of penguin scientists and fishers where information about fishing, penguin distribution and penguin behaviour is shared. With this information on the table, all concerned can investigate how to reduce the risks more effectively while maintaining a viable fishery.

From other presentations at the Symposium, it’s clear these birds have a lot to contend with: dogs, diphtheria, malaria, and stress caused by human interactions all contribute to penguin mortality. It’s only right that fishers do their bit too.

Bluff-based fisherman Olaf Nilsen has recently been appointed as a Trustee on the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust. Good stuff Olaf, it’s only through a shared understanding and a commitment to work together that penguins will thrive.