Commercial fishers today lodged a High Court challenge to government measures aimed at protecting Hector and Maui dolphins.
The fishing industry wanted interim relief from the new fishing restrictions "to protect the livelihoods of fishermen whose businesses will otherwise be destroyed".
The action was launched by the New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen, South East Finfish Management Ltd, Challenger Finfisheries Management Company Ltd, and the Northern Fisheries Management Stakeholder Company Ltd.
Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton said tonight the Government will strongly defend the fishing bans.
The court move followed Mr Anderton's announcement in May of a package of measures to protect the two threatened dolphin species.
The measures, designed to take effect on October 1, affect the coastal waters where the dolphins are most often found.
They include a variety of regional bans and other restrictions on set netting, trawling and drift netting in the coastal waters where the dolphins are most often found.
The fishers are asking the High Court to review Mr Anderton's decision to close about two thirds of New Zealand's coastline to fishing in response to concerns about the dolphins.
The interim orders are sought on behalf of the inshore fishers and quota owners most acutely affected by the decision.
"These are the most extensive changes to commercial and recreational access to inshore fisheries in two decades, said a joint statement from the fishers' groups.
"They are, in our view, unnecessarily onerous and will drive people out of business, even in areas where dolphins are not at risk.
"If small changes such as fishing for a limited season in discrete areas can be made without any danger at all to dolphins, then fishermen will be able to continue to fish enough to keep their businesses going and some staff in jobs," said the statement signed by the commercial fishermen's president Doug Saunders-Loder.
"We think that is a very reasonable request."
Mr Anderton said the decisions he made had been difficult, and the measures he chose were not the most severe of the options being proposed.
They struck the best achievable balance between the activities of fishers and the protection of the two dolphins.
"I understand the concerns of those whose livelihoods will be affected. That's why the decisions I made were hard but necessary.
"However, I made my decisions on the basis of the best available information."
