BirdLife Tasmania says this season’s duck hunt should have been halted

Animal welfare organisations say this years’ duck season should have been stopped after the government’s own experts called for the season to be curtailed on conservation grounds.

• ‘Irresponsible’ open season slammed as Minister ducks advice
• Birdlife Tasmania is calling for a stop on duck hunting this season

THE decision to allow the 2020 duck season to go ahead was “utterly indefensible”, Birdlife Tasmania says.

Documents obtained under Right to Information laws by the Greens show the government’s own experts called for the season to be curtailed on conservation grounds.

BirdLife Tasmania Convenor Eric Woehler said as mainland populations crashed Tasmania played a critical role in making sure they were protected.

Eric Woehler. Picture: MATTHEW NEWTON

“It’s utterly indefensible for the Minister to ignore the advice from his Department.

Wildlife and Game Management staff know far more about the duck populations in

Tasmania than the Minister” Dr Woehler said.

“The advice given to the Minister drew on analyses by BirdLife Tasmania that demonstrated the influx of waterfowl into Tasmania following the catastrophic drought on the mainland.”

“For years, BirdLife Tasmania has demonstrated that Tasmania acts as a refuge for

mainland waterfowl during mainland droughts.

“To shoot mainland birds while they are sheltering in Tasmania cannot be justified, and destroys any claims of ‘sustainability’.”

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment secretary Tim Baker said it was he — not Minister Guy Barnett — who made the decision and that the minister never saw the draft minute calling for a reprieve.

“The draft minute obtained by the media was under development and produced prior to further survey results being compiled which subsequently showed no significant decline in wild duck counts for 2020,” he said.

“I received formal advice on 25 February 2020 from the relevant division confirming that survey results showed no significant decline in wild duck counts for 2020.”

DPIWPE on Thursday released data showing counts for several species of waterbirds. Each showed declines between 2019 and 2020 — although not to historic lows.

Animals Tasmania said recent conditions for native waterbirds have been some of the worst seen in decades.

“The Principle Wildlife Management Officer made a recommendation to keep public wetlands closed in order to protect native ducks at risk due to recent poor environmental conditions,” spokesman Chris Simcox said.

“This could have serious long-term negative ramifications for native waterbirds across Eastern Australia.”

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor described this year’s duck hunt as “a crime against nature”.

Greens leader Cassy O'Connor. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

“We have a responsibility here as Tasmanians to look after the ducks that come here,” she said.

“We don’t believe there’s justification for a duck shooting season under any circumstances, but when your own department has advised that the duck season is unsustainable, government has a responsibility to rein it in.”

She called on the government to release duck population survey numbers.

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