A member of the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust says it turned down funding for a project from SailGP due to fears about greenwashing. Photo: RNZ / Supplied
A marine conservation academic says the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust turned down funding for a project from SailGP due to concerns about its behaviour during racing in Christchurch.
The future of SailGP in Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour next year is also in doubt after endangered Hector's dolphins cancelled a day of racing over the weekend.
SailGP chief executive Sir Russell Coutts had come out firing since, saying there was too much red tape and racing did not need to be halted.
He claimed Hector's dolphins were not endangered and a statement from Otago University professor Liz Slooten saying as such was a "lie".
Hector's dolphins are listed as threatened - nationally vulnerable, "which means they have been assessed as facing a high risk of extinction in the medium term", Department of Conservation deputy director-general operations Henry Weston said.
Emeritus Otago University professor Steve Dawson was unimpressed by Sir Russell's comments.
"Sir Russell is one of the world's great sailors but he's not a dolphin expert. It's the International Union for Conservation of Nature that considers the species to be endangered and they are the principal international body that evaluates the threat status of our animals and plants worldwide," he said.
Hector's dolphins are listed by the Department of Conservation as nationally vulnerable. Photo: Biosphoto via AFP
Dawson had been one of the advisers on SailGP's Marine Mammal Management Plan (MMMP).
Under New Zealand law, no vessel could go faster than five knots when it was within 300 metres of any marine mammal, he said, and that would be the case wherever SailGP was held.
"It was a courageous move on the sailing coordinator to cancel the sailing on Saturday, and I applaud that. It was the right decision," he said.
Dawson said he was also a part of the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust, which had turned down SailGP funding for a conservation project because of greenwashing concerns.
"We ended up declining that funding on the basis that we didn't feel that their behaviour over last year's racing was adequate in relation to this endangered species.
"I don't want to take money from any activity that potentially posed harm to the animals that I'm studying. I think that's inappropriate," Dawson said.
His view remained the same now, he said, and added he would not accept funding from the fishing industry, either
Concerns had been raised about Hector's dolphins safety prior to the event, when a Department of Conservation memo revealed two dolphins were sighted on the course in 2023, but racing continued - despite the race director being told to stop it.
The harbour has been a marine mammal sanctuary since 1988.
Weston said more than one upokohue Hector's dolphin was present on the weekend.
"At this time of year, mothers and calves are present in the harbour and calves have been seen on the course this weekend.
"Newborn calves and young animals are vulnerable to boat strike as they are less aware of risk, spend more time on the surface and dive more slowly than mature dolphins," he said.
Locals weigh in
Christchurch man Stuart Miller said it was heavy-handed to abandon a whole day of racing.
"It's a working port. Freight liners come in, the coal ships come in and out, logging ships come in and out. They're diesel powered, they're noisy," he said.
"You can say it's a marine sanctuary but the one that gets penalised for [interfering with the dolphins] are the environmentally-friendly, powered by nature, craft."
Lyttelton visitor, Christchurch man Stuart Miller thought it was heavy-handed to abandon a whole day of racing. Photo: RNZ / Niva Chittock
Wellingtonians Cam Edwards and Sophie Forsyth were unimpressed by Sir Russell's comments and thought stopping the race for the dolphins was the right move.
"It seems pretty arrogant, coming from this guy running a big sailing championship, he could probably take a step back, I suppose," Edwards said.
"It seems like he was just saying what he thought the fans wanted to hear," Forsyth said.
Eden Guerrero at the coffee machine in Spooky Boogie cafe in Lyttelton. Photo: RNZ / Niva Chittock
Lyttelton local Eden Guerrero wanted SailGP to stay in Whakaraupō.
She worked in a cafe in the town centre and said there had been a clear difference between the two events.
"It was busy all day on Saturday and Sunday until about 2pm, and then it just died away [when the racing was scheduled to start]," Geurrero said.
"It was really, really good. Lots of people out. Last year was really quiet, we closed at 12pm.
"Now it's grown and people are more aware and everyone's coming to see it which is great, and it would be a shame to see it stopped," she said.
Guerrero thought the next event would be even bigger, but did not want the racing to come at the expense of Hector's dolphins.