ECO

New Bait

Conservationist or hunter. Is there a difference?

In order to harvest the bounty of the sea we must ensure not only the survival of the
eco-system that is the oceans but their proliferation. The removal of one small species can alter the balance of nature, we must take responsibility for our actions and ensure no species is lost through any action or inaction on our part.
Capt Bert Lee, Email: bert@charterfishing.co.nz

Enjoy with me some of the more uncommon sights around Tolaga Bay

MINKE WHALE
This whale which was about 8m in length circled the boat for about an hour while we were anchored fishing. It often lifted it's eye out of the water and looked at us from a distance of less the two meters.

A young bull Elephant Seal which spent several weeks around Tolaga Bay in December 99-January 2000. It was friendly to people but had an aversion to boats, it flopped on top of one which was pulled up on the beach breaking the windscreen, cabin and seats.
How would you explain that to your insurance company?

long-billed curlew on the mud-flats of the Uawa River Tolaga Bay, a very occasional visitor

I took this photo several years ago north of Tokomaru Bay, by the under-flipper markings I would say it is a Fiordland crested penguin.

BIRD PROFILES

WANDERING ALBATROSS BLACK-BROWED MOLLYMAWK

BULLERS MOLLYMAWK GREY-BACKED MOLLYMAWK

SHY MOLLYMAWK FLESH FOOTED SHEARWATER

GREY PETREL SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER

CAPE PIGEON BULLERS SHEARWATER

HUTTONS SHEARWATER BLACK PETREL

BULLERS MOLLYMAWK SOOTY SHEARWATER

GIANT PETREL GREY-FACED PETREL

COOKS PETREL WHITE-FACED STORM PETREL

The East Cape is not only a top fishing spot but a great place to observe a wide range of sea birds. An Israeli ornithologist I took out counted 22 species of petrel, shearwater and albatross in one day. As a fisherman of many years experience I have come to know and enjoy the birds of the sea. The bird-life here changes with the seasons as different species migrate following their prefered temperature range. Summer is now behind us and the winter species are starting to arrive, on the 1st April I saw the first Grey-faced petrels then later in the month Prions started arriving, early May the first Cape pigeons flew in and one or two Wilsons storm-petrels have been passing . Over the next months I will update this page with observations and photos of the ever-changing birdlife. If you have an interest in sea-birds I would like to hear from you and hopefully one day take you out and show you the rich diversity we have here.

Surface longlines in NZ.

HOME

Sea-bird & eco links

http://www.zip.com.au/~palliser/

http://www.nzbirds.com/index.html#HOME . http://www.seafriends.org.nz/

http://www.forest-bird.org.nz/index.html . http://www.naturespace.co.nz/

http://www.envirowatch.org/links.html http://www.eco2000.co.nz/index.html