Hector’s dolphin

Press, 23 February 1989, Page 12

Hector’s dolphin

Sir,—ln reply to E. Slooten and S. R. Dawson (February 17), constructive suggestions regarding the protection of Hector’s dolphin have been made. In my submission to the Department of Conservation in October, I considered a more feasible population count could be made through voluntary observations by our inshore fishing fleet over 12 months. I have, as yet, received no reply. Your correspondents also state that I made the assertion of “no known entanglement problem within this area by recreational fishermen.” If he had read my letter correctly, he would have noted I was referring to the Eastern Bays area only. As to my reference to their experience, I suppose it is mainly a matter of opinion; my experience is based on 25 years of commercial fish-

ing in the Canterbury area as well as sailing yachts in the Wellington-Akaroa area over the same period with the Banks Peninsula Cruising Club. On this basis I consider the doctoral students’ survey is inaccurate, unrealistic and ill-conceived. — Yours, etc.,

A. R. COULING. February 21, 1989.

[Mr I. K. Waghorn has drawn attention to an error that misrepresented his views on four public meetings on Hector’s dolphin. He wrote that “there was not vitriol, as reported.” The word “not”, was omitted from the letter published on October 18.]