THIS YEAR’S Auckland Islands squid fishery has resulted in an estimated ten fewer sea lion deaths compared with last year, fisheries minister Jim Anderton has announced.
Jim Anderton said that last season there were 56 assumed sea lion deaths. This year there were 46 assumed deaths. Five confirmed sea lion deaths were reported.
Fisheries observers, who oversaw around half of all fishing activity, reported 71 seabirds being accidentally caught, including petrels and albatrosses. Several were not fatal and the birds were released and considered highly likely to survive.
The
