New Zealand Sea Lion Threat Management Plan Forum 2021
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New Zealand Sea Lion Threat Management Plan Forum 2021 Forum Report | 14 April 2021 – Ōtepoti Cover: Pakake on Muaupoko/Otago Peninsula. Photo: Megan Abbott, DOC. DOC – April 2021 Crown copyright [2021], New Zealand Department of Conservation In the interest of forest conservation, we support paperless electronic publishing. 2 DOC - 6645797 Contents: 1 New Zealand Sea Lion Threat Management Plan Forum 2021 ......................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Recommendations to the Technical Advisory Group .................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 What is working well in the current Threat Management Plan ............................................................................................ 5 1.3 Recommendations for the upcoming review of the Threat Management Plan .................................................... 5 2 Forum minutes ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6 2.1 Purpose and Terms of Reference ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6 2.2 Participation ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 2.3 Agenda .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 3 Desired outcomes for the 2021 Forum ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8 4 Terms of reference and TMP review ............................................................................................................................................................................ 8 5 Subantarctic Islands Field Report ...................................................................................................................................................................................9 6 South Island Field Report ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 7 Volunteers ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 8 Community engagement and kōrero ........................................................................................................................................................................12 8.1 DOC Hotline .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 8.2 Ranger capacity ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 8.3 Council representation at the Forum ............................................................................................................................................................13 9 Rakiura Field Report ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................13 10 Fisheries New Zealand update: New Zealand Sea Lion Threats .....................................................................................................14 11 Marine and Coastal Species Liaison Officer .......................................................................................................................................................15 12 Traffic Light Report .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 13 Next steps..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17 14 References.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17 15 Appendix – post-hui feedback from the NZSLT ............................................................................................................................................. 17 3 DOC - 6645797 1 New Zealand Sea Lion Threat Management Plan Forum 2021 This report summarises notes from the New Zealand Sea Lion Threat Management Plan Forum held from 10.30am to 5.00pm on 14 April 2021 at the Dunedin Town Hall, Ōtepoti. Recommendations to the Technical Advisory Group were formulated following presentations and group discussions, and are presented in 1.1 to 1.3. Minutes of the presentations and group discussion are presented in sections 2 to 12 of this report. 1.1 Recommendations to the Technical Advisory Group The recommendations to the Technical Advisory Group are summarised below. This is a list of recommendations put forward during the hui but does not reflect consensus of the group. Funding: Identify and communicate funding priorities for 2021/22; Prioritise and communicate the funding priorities for both northern and southern populations. Vessels: Prioritise looking for partnerships (e.g. cruise ships) to allow for more cost- effective travel to the subantarctic islands and more options for transport during the field season. Subantarctic research: Ensure that 2021/22 research trips go ahead, and that they are adequately resourced. Ensure that appropriate vessels are secured for the 2021/22 field work. Investigate remote sensing options if teams cannot be deployed on the ground. Fisheries interactions: A uniform set net ban1 in estuaries should be considered, as estuaries are important habitats for sea lions, e.g. Blueskin Bay, Papanui Inlet, Hoopers Inlet, Otago Harbour, Catlins Estuary. The interaction of sea lions and aquaculture development needs to be addressed as northern populations expand. Long-term Council Plans: Submissions can be made by organisations to Councils to advocate for safeguarding sea lion habitat, e.g. restricting vehicles on beaches. Consider assembling formal submissions to Council long-term plans for sea lion management, particularly addressing the issue of vehicles on beaches and protection of animals near coastal roads. Engagement and Education strategy: Ensure that this strategy is prioritised in 2021/22, as it is a key tool for managing threats for northern populations. Identify specific advocacy initiatives that can be trialled and reported on in 2021/22. Improve year-round reporting on the progress of these strategies and initiatives. Engagement workstream: Ensure that DOC have enough resources for the 2021/22 season, in terms of Summer Rangers, Biodiversity Rangers, the Liaison Officer role, and that volunteers are recruited and trained. Standardise reporting of human-sea lion 1 set net bans already apply to Blueskin Bay (Karitāne Estuary, Waitati Estuary, Pūrākaunui Estuary) and most of the Catlins Estuary. Papanui Inlet has a code of practice. This leaves Hoopers Inlet, which generally has a closed bar, and Otago Harbour, which is closed at the mouth and upper half of the Harbour. Most of the outer harbour is a mātatitai. 4 DOC - 6645797 interactions, so that negative and positive events can be reported on and tracked over time (i.e. SMART statistics). Evaluation: Improve the TMP methods for measuring and reporting on successes and failures, (e.g. “learnings” in the form of report-writing and dissemination of information from interventions). Plan a pre-season meeting (e.g. August/September) to help align efforts across Forum members. Improve year-round communication of the progress towards TMP goals. Secure terrestrial habitats for sea lions: Consider stocktaking of land where sea lions are present, including private land, so that habitats can be managed in the long- term. Improving landowner education and enabling landowners to protect sea lions on their properties should be prioritised (e.g. management of coastal pine forest harvesting). Identify areas of private land that could be secured for long-term sea lion habitat. 1.2 What is working well in the current Threat Management Plan Forum structure: Open and honest kōrero is happening in the Forum, and it is well facilitated. Face-to-face meetings improve relationships between groups. Opportunities to give feedback to the TAG are invaluable. This Forum was a vast