Game Animal Council Welcomed

Media Release
Wednesday 6th April 2011

The Fiordland Wapiti Foundation welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Conservation Hon Kate Wilkinson and the United Future Leader Hon Peter Dunne that a Game Animal council is to be formed. It has been a long time coming said Roy Sloan, President of the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation.

The Foundation have been managing the effects that deer have on the environment of Fiordland for six years now for conservation and recreation, but under the current set up between recreational hunters and the Department of Conservation it could all be taken away with the stroke of a pen as this type of management is not supported by legislation. But the concept that the Game Animal Council brings to the table will give us, the Foundation and recreational hunters some security and conservation will benefit from that as well, said Roy Sloan.

There has been a misconception that a Game Animal Council will have a negative effect on conservation but if you look at the work recreational hunters are doing in the Wapiti area of Fiordland this expels that theory. Recreational hunters have been responsible for 70 kilometres of predator lines to control stoats and rats, in partnership with Doc. They have just released 13 Blue duck ducklings back into Fiordland. Recreational hunters are responsible for managing the animal numbers in the Wapiti area of Fiordland. Over the last six years recreational hunters have funded the removal of almost 5000 non Wapiti type deer, that is a major commitment by them said Roy Sloan

The “bread and butter” type hunter should have nothing to fear from the Council as well, for the first time in years they will have a group of people who they can take their issues to who will actually listen. It’s about hunters being in charge of their own future for once, as the main focus for the council will be managing hunters interests said Roy Sloan.

We congratulate the Government and United Future on this initiative.

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