Green Party oceans spokesman Gareth Hughes launched the campaign - urging the Government to reconsider proposed regulation changes relating to fishing around the Auckland Islands, where sea lions breed - while viewing New Zealand sea lions with University of Otago sea lion expert Dr Bruce Robertson and New Zealand Sea Lion Trust chairman Steve Broni at Allans Beach.
Conservationists feared Ministry of Fisheries proposals could push the species closer to extinction, Mr Hughes said.
With the cut-off for submissions this Friday, Mr Hughes said he had set up a web page where people could make a submission on the proposals.
"I think the Government really did want this whole proposal to fly under the radar before Christmas."
Mr Hughes said New Zealand sea lions were the most threatened sea lion population in the world and nothing that would put them at further risk should be allowed.
"These really are amazing creatures and often with our marine animals, they are out of sight, out of mind."
Under the Maf proposal, squid fishery crews would have to use nets fitted with sea lion exclusion devices. The devices were meant to provide sea lions with an escape route from a net, but some research had questioned their effectiveness, Mr Hughes said.
