A US court has ordered a temporary ban on fish imports from New Zealand which have been caught in a Māui dolphin habitat off Aotearoa's Fcoast.
The United States Court of International Trade granted a preliminary injunction to stop imports of nine fish species from inshore trawling and gillnet fisheries off the North Island's West Coast.
The ban was brought on by the conservation group Sea Shepherd, which argued there was a lack of action by the New Zealand Government to protect critically endangered Māui dolphins.
Sea Shepherd said in a statement the ban specifically applies to set-net and trawl fisheries that operate in the habitat of Māui dolphins.
The species included in the injunction are snapper, tarakihi, spotted dogfish, trevally, warehou, hoki, barracouta, mullet, and gurnard.
Sea Shepherd said the ban will remain in place until the United States makes a valid finding that New Zealand's regulatory program for the fisheries is comparable in effectiveness to the US regulatory program or until the court case is fully resolved.
"The Court's ruling sends a strong signal to New Zealand and other countries that unless they can show their fisheries regulatory program is comparable to the US regulatory program, they risk an import ban," Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's CEO Pritam Singh said in a statement.
Ocean and Fisheries Minister David Parker was approached for comment by Newshub but deferred questions to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
MPI's manager of international fisheries management, James Brown, told Newshub: "We are working through the decision, but understand there will be a hearing next month to hear further arguments."
Brown added Aotearoa has put comprehensive measures in place to protect Māui dolphins based on scientific information and consultation with New Zealanders.
"We anticipate the temporary stop to trade will affect a relatively small portion of overall fisheries trade to the United States – less than $2 million per year."
Brown said MPI will work with exports to identify and divert "potentially affected product".
Greenpeace Aotearoa praised the ban.
"This win by Sea Shepherd is damning for New Zealand's fishing industry and an indictment on the New Zealand Government for not taking stronger action to protect the Māui dolphin," Greenpeace Aotearoa oceans campaigner Ellie Hooper said in a statement.
Hooper added the ban could cost the fishing industry up to $200 million.
"It's nothing compared to the price paid by this tiny dolphin species found only in Aotearoa and the reputational damage that may be done to New Zealand."
