New Zealand Sea Lion Trust trustee Jordana Whyte came to the defence of sea lions after they were identified as a culprit for bacterial spikes offshore from the Dunedin City Council's Tahuna treatment facility in a report in the Otago Daily Times.
The trust had the full report outlining faecal bacteria spikes off the coast, which brought up rainfall events, waterfowl and seal populations as possible culprits, but made no mention of sea lions.
Ms Whyte said it was a simple case of mistaken identity from council water and waste group manager Laura McElhone.
''She said sea lions and what she meant was seals,'' Ms Whyte said.
It was understandable for people to get the two confused, but the trust was keen to correct the mistake so people did not get the false impression sea lion numbers had increased to the extent their excrement was polluting shellfish.
The overall population of the nationally critical species was declining, despite small increases in the south of the South Island.
''It's still really really tiny numbers here.
''So we have about 200 resident sea lions along the Otago, Catlins coast.''
That was nowhere enough to influence faecal bacteria levels off the coast, she said.
