Science Media Centre

Scientists are frustrated with the International Whaling Commission over the lack of science in Japan’s scientific whaling programme, and are calling for a new review system.  Japanese whalers are back in the Southern Ocean, aiming to kill 333 minke whales this year – purportedly for scientific purposes. In a correspondence article in this week’s Nature, […]

New types of marine reserves and community decision-making feature in legislation overhauling the protection of New Zealand’s marine life. The Government has opened consultation on a proposed Marine Protected Areas Act, a replacement to the Marine Reserves Act 1971. The proposal outlines four categories of protected areas: Marine reserves Species-specific sanctuaries Seabed reserves Recreational fishing parks […]

Countries should move away from establishing ‘Marine Protected Areas’ (MPAs) with varying limits on fishing activity and focus on clear cut ‘no-take’ marine reserves, say New Zealand marine biologists. Prof Mark Costello and Dr Bill Ballantine from the University of Auckland’s Leigh Marine Lab outlined the argument in a new article published in the journal […]

Writing for Fairfax’s Auckland Now, reporter Delwyn Dickey examines the science and politics of protecting the Maui’s dolphin. An excerpt (read in full here): The Maui’s dolphin is heading for extinction under government proposals to protect it on Auckland’s doorstep. That’s the view of the council’s environment and sustainability forum chairman and Albany Ward councillor […]

An international group of scientists met in Auckland this weekend for the inaugural  Marine Conservation Think Tank to develop a priority list of actions for marine conservation efforts in the region and internationally. As climate change diplomats meet in Durban, South Africa at COP17 to try and negotiate an emissions reduction plan and a new […]

An editorial in this week’s Waikato Times highlights the issue of commercial fisheries in the Antarctic. The topic was also raised last month,  when South African ecologist Professor Steven L  Chown gave a lecture in New Zealand arguing that our government should seek special marine protection status for the whole of the Ross Sea in […]