New Zealand says no more to export live animals by sea

New Zealand has banned the export of livestock by sea. Traders will be given a transition period to adjust.

New Zealand will no longer export live animals by sea. “We are unable to guarantee the safety of animals once at sea, and this is an unacceptable risk to the country.” Has been announced Minister of Agriculture Damian O’Connor. The ban will take effect after a two-year transitional period.

New Zealand bans the export of live animals by sea

“I recognize the importance of our business relationships with international partners and will strive to work closely with them during the transition period,” O’Connor said. “This decision It is all about animal welfare And our reputation. “

In the past year the country has already presented More stringent standards Concerning the export of livestock after the Gulf 1 ship bound for China, Flipped over, Killing nearly six thousand head of livestock on board and 41 of its 43 crew members. In addition, New Zealand has been exporting livestock since 2008 only to be sent to other farms, not to slaughterhouses.

Since 2015, the export of live animals by sea has been just that 0.2 percent From sector revenues; In 2020, the country exported more than 115,000 head of cattle by sea, all of them destined for China, and in the past 13 years it exported only a shipment of sheep.

Meat industry protests

Wayne Langford, spokesman Federal Farmers From New Zealand, Has been announced Reuters reported that the industry “has no information about violations of export standards and is already very high.” However, according to the minister, despite the tremendous progress that has been made, long-haul cruises still pose major challenges to ensuring the animals’ well-being. “Our decision is driven by the country’s reputation for high luxury standards. We have to keep up From a world that cares about him more and more. “

The decision comes months after the devastating news of moving live animals around the world. From the tragedies of the two Spanish ships, Karim Allah and El-Beek, to the scandal of transporting horses to Japan, to the investigations into the trips of the lambs to Italy for Easter and the consequences of the siege of the Suez Canal, the story of many of them remained silent.

Despite the high standards imposed by New Zealand, the country has made a historic decision, recognizing the basic fact of transporting live animals: There is no way to guarantee its safety. Once again, the state of the oceans is emphasized in the forefront of rights and creates an important precedent that will hopefully soon follow other nations with much higher turnover and animal suffering.