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Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry have welcomed initiatives by the seafood industry to further protect Māui dolphins.

“There are already extensive fishing protections over a large part of the Māui dolphin distribution, and these new steps will provide even greater reassurance and protection,” says Mr Guy.

The proposed changes by Moana New Zealand and Sanford cover the area from Maunganui Bluff in the North to the Whanganui River Mouth. They include:

The release of a proposed new spatial plan for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park has been welcomed by Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry.

The Sea Change/Tai Timu Tai Pari marine spatial plan, designed to secure a healthy, productive and sustainable future for the Hauraki Gulf, is the result of three years’ work by the Sea Change group, representing mana whenua, councils, local conservationists, businesses, recreational fishers and the Government.

The invasive pest great white butterfly has been eradicated from New Zealand in a world-first achievement, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry say.

“This is the first eradication of an unwanted butterfly population in the world and is another impressive example of New Zealand’s innovation and skill in removing pests,” Ms Barry says.

Great white butterflies posed a major threat to native plant species and primary sector economy.

The fight against wilding conifers in two iconic high country areas of the South Island has received a major funding boost, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry have announced.

Work to control the spread of wildings in the Molesworth area of Marlborough and the Amuri block in North Canterbury will receive an additional $730,000 in Crown funding from Budget 2016.

A new estimate of Māui dolphin numbers is encouraging for the future of the species, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry say.

The preliminary results of a comprehensive scientific survey carried out over the last two summers has estimated the population of the critically endangered dolphin at approximately 63 adults, with 95% confidence there are between 57 and 75.

This represents an increase from a 2010-11 survey which estimated the number of adults at 55, with 95% confidence there were between 48 and 69.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry have welcomed a new survey showing the number of Hector’s dolphin is higher than previously estimated.

“A three year survey commissioned by the Minister for Primary Industries indicates the population of Hector’s dolphin is about 15,000 – this is up from previous estimates of around 7,000,” says Mr Guy. 

Achieving the goal of a Predator Free New Zealand by 2050 will require a massive team effort across the public, private, iwi and community sectors, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

The Government today announced the adoption of the Predator Free New Zealand 2050 target and plans to set up a new public-private partnership company by the beginning of 2017 to help fund regional large-scale predator eradication programmes.

Budget 2016 provides $16 million of new operating funding over four years to tackle wilding conifers, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry say.

“These invasive trees are a major threat to our ecosystems, land and farms. They spread fast and are very hard to eradicate once established,” Mr Guy says.

The Government has today launched a consultation document on a new Marine Protected Areas Act to replace the Marine Reserves Act 1971 that includes proposals for recreational fishing parks in the inner Hauraki Gulf and Marlborough Sounds.