Local duck hunters back in action
Murray Pioneer, Page: 8. Friday, 20 March, 2009
After a two-year break, up to 200 Riverland duck hunters have been given the green light to resume shooting from next weekend.
The State Government this week announced dates of restricted duck and quail hunting seasons for 2009.
Game reserves at Moorook and Loch Luna are expected to be popular spots during the duck hunting season, which will run from March 28 to May 31.
“Recent waterfowl surveys have shown that there are sufficient numbers of duck and quail across southern and eastern Australia to support limited hunting seasons in Australia this year.” said Environment and Conservation Minister Jay Weatherill.
“But heavy restrictions have been placed on the length of the seasons and the number and species of duck able to be taken to ensure that populations of these birds are not adversely affected.”
A bag limit of four ducks per day has been imposed, while three species the blue-winged shoveler, mountain duck and Pacific black duck will be off limits.
According to Tim Fraser, Murray lands resource protection officer for the Department of Environment and Heritage the “vulnerable” species have been protected.
“They can’t be taken,” he said.
“And the others, it’s not going to make any difference at all when you look at the breeding opportunities that are taking place now.
The Riverland has three major field and game clubs. Renmark-Berri. Loxton and Barmera-Moorook.
Mr Fraser estimated that the clubs have a combined tally of between 100 and 200 local members, along with a number of non-Riverland members.
He said the 2009 season would be heavily policed. “Although the majority of the duck hunting fraternity are responsible shooters, it will he policed strongly, and there won’t he any room for people who step outside of those regulations in regards to bag limits and species.” he said.
Wetlands within the Chowilla Game Reserve, north of Renmark, will be excluded from the open seasons to enable habitat to recover and to act as a refuge for waterfowl.
“(That is) because the only swamps on that reserve at the moment have been artificially filled for environmental reasons, so we’ve decided not to open it for that reason.” Mr Fraser said.
In recent years a number of stringent conditions have been placed on all duck hunters, including waterfowl identification tests, compulsory use of non-toxic shot, changes to firearm legislations, and standards imposed for the humane destruction of birds by shooting.
However, the government’s announcement has angered Greens MLC Mark Parnell, who described it as “a terrible decision”.
“When birds are already struggling to find any decent water in South Australia, they will now be blasted by shotguns when they do,” Mr Parnell said.
“Our understanding is that this decision is based on an increase in national bird numbers. Just because numbers are up in Queensland and NSW because of decent rains over the last 12 months doesn’t mean we have more birds here in South Australia.
“In fact, the most recent state wetland survey found that bird numbers in South Australia haven’t significantly changed 2008 numbers show a 2.6 per cent increase from 2007, but this is still 53.6 per cent less than 2003 numbers.” Mr Parnell said South Australia is one of only three states that allows duck shooting.
A couple of local destinations are sure to be hot spots during the 2009 South Australian duck hunting season, from March 28 to May 31.
Tim Fraser, Murraylands resource protection officer for the Department of Environment and Heritage, said game reserves at Moorook and Loch Luna will attract plenty of duck hunters, as will sections of the river.
“The game reserves are very popular.” he said. “Moorook and Loch Luna will both be open.
“As you heard, Chowdla Game Reserve is normally open, but we’ve elected not to shoot that. And the main river wilt obviously be attractive to a lot of hunters.”
Mr Fraser said hunters had certain safety requirements to fulfill.
“At the moment there are quite a number of ducks residing on the main river itself,” he said.
“Shooting along the main river is quite legal to do, as long as you’re not near boats or structures, or locks or things like that.”
“And people who have got their own artificially filled swamp are allowed to hunt them on their own place obviously, if they’ve got the appropriate licences and they’ve done their duck ID test, and are using steel-shot or nontoxic.”
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