Illegal work done for a cause

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald

DOLPHIN DESIGNER: Artist and wildlife conservation worker Jono More with one of his lawful artworks _ the Dunedin-based artist has been netted as the man responsible for the stencilled dolphins that appeared on rail overbridges earlier this year.

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The dolphin designer has been netted.

Early this year, stencilled dolphins appeared on the abutments of rail overbridges on Te Weka Street and Domain Avenue, leaping gracefully on the concrete faces.

A few weeks later, stencilled nets appeared -- perhaps to ensure the message was clear -- that fishing methods like trawling and particularly set netting are killing dolphins.

The man behind the message is 24-year-old Jono More.

Former Pleasant Point High School student, Otago University graduate (BSc), artist, wildlife conservation worker, and -- until being caught red-handed in Dunedin recently -- night-time dolphin stenciler.

He was arrested, has appeared in court -- not a pleasant experience -- and been referred to a restorative justice process.

"I'm getting into trouble, but it's a cause worth fighting."

Mr More says the overbridges were chosen as a blank canvas close to the sea, and said it was a message for the public on public -- as opposed to private -- property.

He hoped the stencilled dolphins would get the plight of the maui and hectors dolphins into the public eye.

"It's to make people realise that they are part of this country, as much as the kiwi, and they are much rarer than kiwis, and in more trouble than kiwis.

"At the moment, Parliament is in the process of deciding better protection for them. There are three options to look at, but only one that's going to make a difference, and that's the banning of set netting."

He says the population of the maui dolphin, on the west coast of the North Island, sits at about 100, and the South Island-based hectors dolphin at about 6000.

And while the consequences haven't been pleasant, Mr More is proud he has got the issue into the spotlight.

"It's been a good way of getting the message across because it's illegal, and people take notice of something that's illegal."

However, while he will continue getting the message across, and says he won't be hanging up his stencils just yet, he admits it would be dumb to carry on with his illegal efforts, and any further stencilling with be done with permission.

For now, there is an exhibition of his work in Timaru, and he's doing some stencils on canvas to pay off the fines, and the rest to go to the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust.

- © Fairfax NZ News