Dion, birding Ausers,
The assumption that both species are 'likely to suffer from long line
fishing mortality as their close relatives Grey and White-chinned Petrel
are well known victims' is both dangerous and apparently incorrect (for
one of these species). Just because taxonomically similar species are
caught does not mean that they will also be caught.
According to as yet unpub literature and pers comms Westlands are not
caught by fisheries, and Black petrels are caught in EXTREMELY low
numbers. In fact Westland petrels appear to have done very nicely from
fisheries discards, and their recent population increases have been
suggested to be related to this.
I find it interesting that Black petrel has been taken off the
reportable sp list, due to the difficulty in being distinguished from
Westland. These species aren't easy to distinguish and I would have
thought both warranted inclusion on the list. The fact that observers
are shying away from submitting records of this species and instead just
reporting them in trip reports to me suggests it is more to do with lack
of confidence in their identification than the delay in receiving
confirmation??
Cheers,
Brent
------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Brent Stephenson MSc (Hons)
PhD Candidate (Zoology)
Ecology Group - 624, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston
North, New Zealand.
Phone + 64 (06) 350 5799 ext 2139
Cell + 64 (0274) GANNET (426638)
Email
Courier: Ecology Building - 624, Corner of University Ave/Orchard Road,
Turitea Campus, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
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----
"That an opinion has been widely held is no evidence that it is not
utterly absurd."
- Bertrand Russell
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Dion
Hobcroft
Sent: Sunday, 2 June 2002 3:42 p.m.
To:
Subject: Black Petrel off the BARC Review List
Unfortunately despite improving conservation measures in NZ both species
are
likely to suffer from long line fishing mortality as their close
relatives
Grey and White-chinned Petrel are well known victims to this practice
with
real concern for their global conservation.
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