This mortality tracker is an extinction watch tool. It records deaths that are listed on the Department of Conservation Māui and Hector’s dolphin Incident Database. It only includes dolphins that have been reported, and uses DoC and Fisheries NZ information.
In the year before onboard cameras there were two dolphins reported dead in trawl nets. In the 15 months since the roll out of cameras, there have been at least 13 (to May 2024). A 500% increase. The onboard camera roll out shows that in the 2024 fishing year, Hector’s dolphin deaths from the trawl fishing industry were almost five times the 2022 year’s total figure and more than half again on top of the 2023 total.
The 2025 fishing year started on Oct 1 2024 and since then, at least two dolphins have been killed in set nets. The cause of death of the two juveniles off Karamea are still pending.