Calls to ban duck shooting amid claims of unreliable data on bird numbers
The 2021 duck hunting season has caused a flap among animal rights activists, who raised questions over the approval process for the previous year.
Victoria
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Wildlife advocates have called for the 2021 duck-shooting season to be cancelled in Victoria amid claims the state government approval for last year’s season was based on unreliable data.
A shortened shooting season went ahead from May to June and daily bag limits were reduced to three birds.
But Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick said the recommendation by the Game Management Authority to proceed did not take into account the 40 per cent drop in bird numbers in Victoria between 2018 and 2019.
“Misrepresenting bird numbers and the economics of duck shooting is a failure of their obligations under their own Act and must be taken seriously,’’ he said.
The recommendations by Game Management Authority chairman Brian Hine, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, made reference to game duck numbers in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
“Although conditions for game ducks across eastern Australia have declined since last year, there has been a small increase in game duck abundance,’’ Mr Hine said.
The data was taken from the annual Aerial Survey of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia, conducted by the University of NSW and the Centre for Ecosystem Science.
The survey report also said that drought conditions had meant water birds were less mobile.
The state government is expected to make a decision about the 2021 duck-shooting season within weeks.
The issue of shooting continues to be a volatile and divisive issue between animal advocates and thousands of hunters who say they care for wetlands and that game shooting brings more than $100 million economic benefit to regional Victoria.
But Mr Meddick said the economic contribution has been overstated and the Game Management Authority was still referencing a 2013 review.
“The Game Management Authority made serious omissions, misrepresentations and references to outdated data simply for the purpose of justifying state-sanctioned wildlife slaughter,’’ he said.
“This information discovered under freedom of information is nothing short of skulduggery.’’
Game Management Authority Graeme Ford said a recommendation on the 2021 duck season would be supplied to government “in due course’’.
“The GMA uses the best available information at the time to make recommendations to government,’’ Mr Ford said.
After almost three years of reviews, Victoria’s regulators are making the final push to impose shooter proficiency testing of gun owners.https://t.co/L3kK4emMCz
— The Weekly Times (@theweeklytimes) January 27, 2021
“As many game duck species are highly mobile and can move across state borders, data on game duck abundance and distribution is considered for eastern Australia, not just Victoria.’’
Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the state government had no plans to ban duck hunting.
Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting spokeswoman Kerrie Allen said the seasons should not go ahead on scientific and cruelty grounds.
“There’s so much evidence which means it absolutely should be cancelled,’’ Ms Allen said.
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