The Green Party and The Royal Forest & Bird Society of New Zealand are critical of a Government decision to end a population management plan that they say could save sea lions from further threat of extinction.
New Zealand's sea lions population is mainly restricted to the Otago coastline: About 12,000 are believed to be left. Breeding occurs mostly on sub-Antarctic islands.
Seventy two sea lions were presumed killed because of fishery activities during the 2008-09 season.
Conservation Minister Tim Groser says a new plan was needed and the Department of Conservation will instead introduce a sea lion species management plan. He says the previous population management plan was too radical to work.
But the Green Party says it will bring sea lions a step closer to extinction.
And Forest & Bird says the well-being of sea lions is now further threatened.
Mr Groser says the Government is taking the concerns of environmental groups seriously and will keep an open mind on whether to consider a revamped population management plan in future.
