Two orca found dead in first bycatch incidents of their kind

Author: Adam Pearse,
Publish Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2026, 1:16pm

Two orca were found dead in separate incidents last month.

Two orca were found dead as bycatch in two incidents in May, the first recorded deaths of orca in set nets in New Zealand.

The revelation was made by Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones in a Parliament select committee today.

In a statement, Jones said two fishers recorded the “accidental capture” of orca last month.

“Action is under way to understand the circumstances of these incidents, as well as what could be done to prevent any recurrence.”

Jones said the size of the orca meant they couldn’t be recovered, compromising the ability to gather further information.

“My officials are working with the fishing industry and the Department of Conservation to share information about the captures, and about how other parts of the world try to avoid orca bycatch.

“Given the limited experience we have with orca bycatch in New Zealand, this advice and insight from international experts will be crucial for us to explore any available tools or techniques to mitigate fishing risks to orcas.”

Jones maintained the fishers “did the right thing” by reporting the captures immediately.

Speaking in the select committee, Jones revealed one death of an orca while being questioned about the controversial issue of cameras on commercial fishing vessels.

While acknowledging it was a “rather unpleasant outcome”, Jones said one bycatch incident was captured by a camera, proving current settings were adequate.

He said the orca may have already been dead but couldn’t be certain. Jones said the set-net had been intended to catch shark. He suggested a dead orca could have been caught up in the net, or it could have become tangled while “nibbling” fish caught in the net.

“Not a happy outcome for the whale, but these things happen.”

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.