At present, a 20 kilometre Marine Mammal Sanctuary exists around the Auckland Islands, and the sub-Antarctic islands of New Zealand were granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1998 (2). At present, steps are being taken to reduce the threat posed to the species from the squid fishing industry, including closure of the fishery by the Government when the estimated number of sea lions caught in the nets exceeds a set limit each year (2). Marine mammal escape devices are being tested, and there is increasing pressure on the industry to use net-free methods of fishing (2).