Download AEBR 293 An updated assessment of historical impact of setnet fisheries on Māui dolphin

This work reassesses the potential impact of historical setnet fishing on Māui dolphin, replicating previous analyses in combination with updated catch rate estimates. Catch rates for Hector’s dolphin around Banks Peninsula have been applied to Māui dolphin, and aerial surveys conducted in 2012/13 resulted in Hector’s dolphin abundance estimates that were greater than those from boat-based surveys conducted in 1998–2000. As such, catch rates may be much lower than estimated previously.