Anger over five-week duck shoot

A FIVE-WEEK duck-shooting season scheduled for later this year has drawn the ire of Birdlife Australia, RSPCA Victoria and other animal activists.

Beginning May 2 the controversial season will again pit game shooters against animal activists.

Hunters will be restricted to three game ducks a day throughout the season, but hunting of the Blue-winged Shoveler will be prohibited.

RSPCA Victoria’s CEO Liz Walker said cancelling the season was needed to support the future of waterbirds.

“We have continued to be concerned by the data provided in the Aerial Survey of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia year on year, which demonstrates the dire conditions that the wetland birds are facing including the compelling evidence of longer term declines in game bird abundance,” Dr Walker said.

But Opposition agriculture sopokesman Peter Walsh said: “Green ideology has trumped logic with a severely shortened season that will take money out of country communities at a time when we desperately need the tourism boost.”

For most of the season hunters can start shooting half an hour before sunrise but must stop half an hour after sunset.

A Game Management Authority spokeswoman said if needed, wetlands might be closed to hunting to protect “concentrations of rare threatened species”.

“The restricted season is a necessary response to the prolonged dry conditions that have led to low duck numbers and reduced habitat,” she said.

Geelong MP Andy Meddick slammed the decision to hold the season.

“Animal rescue and rehabilitation efforts will continue for months after the bushfire season, yet a duck shooting season will force wildlife officers away from the fire grounds to police a minority shooting wildlife for ‘fun’,” Mr Meddick said.

The season will close on June 8.