| Dead leatherback found in NZ waters |
18 Jan 2006 |
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The discovery of a dead critically endangered leatherback turtle at a Golden Bay marine farm has raised concerns that it may have become entangled in fishing gear.
Fisheries minister Jim Anderton said yesterday it was not known whether the turtle became entangled in equipment for catching scallop spat or died and drifted into the farm.
The turtle was discovered floating in the Challenger Scallop Company's spat catching site in Golden Bay offshore of Tarakohe Harbour last week.
Leatherback turtles – the world's biggest – are a protected species under the Wildlife Act and a person on the Challenger vessel notified the Fisheries Ministry, in line with the Wildlife Act.
The turtle's corpse later drifted to Wainui Bay in Golden Bay where it was also reported by sea kayakers.
Mr Anderton said the Challenger Scallop Company was working with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) to look at the future deployment of spat catching gear and develop a code of practice to reduce any risks to turtles.
According to Nature science journal, the leatherback species is on the brink of extinction: industrial long-line fishing has cut its numbers by 95 per cent since 1980. It usually eats squid.
Mr Anderton said leatherbacks were usually found in warmer temperatures than those in Golden Bay, but fishers had recently been seeing more warm water species in the area.
"It is possible this turtle came south due to the warm weather and water temperatures we have been experiencing lately," he said.
Leatherback turtles take eight to 15 years to begin mating, and their hatchlings are very small and vulnerable to predators.
Scientists estimate that only 1 in 1000 leatherback hatchlings survive to adulthood. Fewer than 25,000 adult females remain worldwide.
Search the IOSEA Website for other news and information on leatherbacks
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