A 55,000-strong petition was delivered to Parliament, calling on the Government to protect the world's smallest dolphin, the Māui Dolphin.
This morning Greenpeace, World Animal Protection New Zealand, renowned zoologist Dr Liz Slooten, and Outrageous Fortunes actor Robyn Malcolm presented the petition to Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage demanding better protection for the critically endangered Māui dolphin.
Greenpeace oceans campaigner, Jessica Desmond, says the Government must give the Māui dolphin proper protection from net fishing, mining, and oil exploration activities including seismic testing.
"Māui and Hector's dolphins are native to New Zealand and are the world's smallest and rarest dolphins. With only around 60 Māui left on the planet, the race to save them couldn't be more crucial," she says.
"We need to urgently protect the Māui's full habitat, with a ban on set net fishing, seabed mining and oil drilling, and a stop to seismic testing."
As well as the petition, more than 5,000 submissions made by Greenpeace supporters on the Threat Management Plan for Maui and Hector's dolphins was handed over.
In June, the Govt took action to ensure commercial fishing vessels who target snapper, tarakihi, gurnard and john dory in the known habitat of the Maui dolphin, between Northland and Taranaki, will be required to operate with on-board cameras from November 1st.
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