NOTES OF A YELLOW-EYED PENGUIN CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING 16 NOVEMBER 2011
Present: David Agnew Dave McFarlane
Eric Sheldon Hildegard Lubcke
Ursula Ellenberg Glenn Riley
Apologies:Bruce McKinlay Phil Seddon
Melanie Young Graeme Boyes
Mike Legge
* Those present felt a quorum had been reached on this very “culture rich” Dunedin evening.
Matters Arising: nil
Correspondence: nil
Boulder Beach Closure
The reserve and access to the beach will be closed from 1 December 2011 – 29 February 2012. All the usual people have been advised and public notice will go into the ODT on 29/11/11.
Season Update
Brief verbal reports were provided by David Agnew (DOC sites), David MacFarlane (YEP Trust sites) and Glenn Riley (Penguin Place sites) and Ursula Ellenberg (Whenua Hou). To summarise, overall there has been a lower number of nests recorded to date for this season. North Otago currently has 24% fewer nests than last year (50 cf 66).
Sandfly Bay currently has 8 nests, which is similar to the previous 2 years.
Nugget Point has 20 nests, back to a good number after a poor number last year.
Long Point has 49.
Recently completed surveys at Whenua Hou (Codfish Island), the Bravo Islands, and The Neck have also recorded lower numbers than usual.
Although the nest numbers are down at many sites, there have been healthy looking adults observed which are not involved in breeding attempts this year. Blue penguins also seem to be having a poor nesting season, so perhaps it is something environmental producing this result.
5 Yearly Catlins Nest Search
This search has just been completed by staff from DOC Otago, Southland and the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust. The search was extended into Southland this year to include the coast from Curio Bay to Waipapa Point. A total of 79 nests were recorded along the entire coast. This included 22 at Te Rere and 17 at Tautuku Peninsula (8 was the previous record at this site). A report will be produced on this survey.
YEP Trust Transponder Proposal
A proposal to use 3 data loggers to record movement and diving information from adult penguins nesting at sites near the Otago Harbour mouth is still in the discussion phase. Once a proposal is developed, it will need to submitted to DOC for consideration/formally approved.
Research Advisory Group (RAG)
Ursula mentioned that the RAG needed to convene to consider future research required to understand impact to hoiho from commercial fishing.
Mike Legge – retirement and move to West Coast
David MacFarlane mentioned that Mike is retiring at the end of the year. He has represented the YEP Trust on the Conservation Services Levy (CSL) Group for a long time now, and recommended that this be acknowledged. It was moved (and passed) that Bruce McKinlay drafts a letter of appreciation/recognition.
YEP Trust AGM
To be held November 30, 7.30pm at Dunedin Community House. Neville Peat is the guest speaker, the topic is “researching and writing the Lance Richdale biography”.
Next Meeting: Wednesday 15 February 2012 at 5:30pm.
