1. New Zealand Sea Lions Historic and Present Day Threats

2. Past Distribution Present Distribution

3. Life history Estimated maximum age: females 28yrs, males 23yrs Age at first reproduction: females 4 yrs, males 9+ yrs Reproductive rate: females 64% Adult survival not well defined – juvenile survival highly variable Population estimate 2008/09: 9880 (95% CI, 8604-11297)

4. Breeding Sexually dimorphic: females 160 kgs, males 400 kg Dominant males hold territories, females move between territories Polygynous breeders: December - January Females nurse 8+ months Females are highly philopatric Colonial during breeding but disperse widely outside breeding season

5. 68 % of all NZ sea lion dives at Auckland Islands exceed estimated ADL (4-10% for other otariids) Mean aerobic dive limit Feeding ParameterAuckland IslandsOtago Age at first breeding4yrs < 5% of all females4yrs >85% of all females Female mass (8-13yrs)112 kg152 kg Foraging trip distanceup to 175 km (ave 102km)up to 25 km Foraging trip duration66 hours<24 hours Dive Depthave 130m, max 600mave 50m, max 110

6. Interaction with people Sea lions are sometimes curious and playful and are usually unafraid

7. IUCN red list 2009: Vulnerable due to low population in decline DoC Threat classification 2005: Range restricted – conservation dependent Current Population Status

8. Bacterial outbreaks Fisheries bycatch Fisheries competition Present Threats

9. Fisheries – Direct By-catch Estimated by-catch SQUID 6T 1999 - 2009 SeasonFRML (revised) Estimated total number NZ sea lion mortalities % observer coverage Number NZ sea lion captures on observed boats % females caught Total Tows 1999641437580401 200065713525441208 200175671003858582 200279843322731647 2003*70392310601466 2004*62 (124)1183116882595 2005115 299672693 2006+96 (150)1102811912459 20079156418751318 20088146475601247 2009113 (95)72384751916 Total780153Ave. 70%17205 * Court ruling allowed fishing to continue after FRML reached + Minister of Fisheries increased FRML at request of fishery

10. Diet of the New Zealand sea lion occurrence (%O), number (%N) and mass (%M) TOTAL (121 stomachs)DIGESTED (112 stomachs) 1 to 2 + days before death FISH%O%N%M%O%N%M Jack Mackerels8.20.73.07.10.72.6 Warehou4.10.21.02.70.11.2 Pigfish11.50.70.19.70.60.1 Barracouta7.40.54.65.30.55.8 Javelin fish9.03.30.47.14.30.7 Hoki11.52.29.612.43.115.5 Red cod32.03.13.230.13.84.3 Ling13.10.94.414.21.58.8 Opalfish48.435.52.450.450.14.7 CEPHALOPODS Octopus38.53.114.428.32.127.8 Arrow squid86.933.443.033.614.117.9 Total number of taxa/species 3529

11. Protection measures Marine mammal protection act: - it is an offence, amongst other things, to harass or disturb marine mammals; - offences carry penalties of up to 6 months imprisonment or fines up to $250,000 and further fines of up to $10,000 for every marine mammal in respect of which the offence is committed; - marine mammals caught accidentally or incidentally in fisheries must be reported Marine mammal sanctuary: since 1994 there has been a 12 n.mile marine mammal sanctuary around the Auckland Islands

12. Protection measures Fisheries Act: - the Minister may take measures considered necessary to avoid, remedy, or mitigate the effect of fishing-related mortality on any protected species (ie Fisheries Related Mortality Limit, FRML) FRML: - in place since 1992 - FRML supposed to allow population growth - bycatch estimated using historical catch data when observer coverage was low and has not been adjusted to account for 50% longer tows - model used to calculate FRML severely limited (unable to fit estimated reproductive rate) - FRML does not include other fisheries (just SQ 6T) - legal challenges have allowed continuation of fishing after FRML has been passed.

13. Protection measures Sea Lion Exclusion Device (SLED): - impact on sea lions/rate of survival unknown - 35% discount factor attributed to boats using approved SLED based on poor data DoC Population Management Plan: - would allow DoC to set mortality limit but currently abandoned