Game Animal Council Bill a Huge Step for Hunting and Conservation

“The introduction of the Game Animal Council Bill into Parliament is another huge step forward for hunting and conservation” said Tom Williams Chairman of the Game and Forest Foundation

Currently under the Wild Animal Control Act 1977 valued introduced game animals are treated as pests and fundamentally unmanaged. This has resulted in a decline in quality of the game resource and lost opportunities for recreational hunting, tourism, farming and conservation.

“This Act is far past its use by date” said Tom Williams.” We are now in 2011 and game animals have a permanent place in New Zealand and we need to move forward from out dated attitudes and policies”

There are clear examples of how the hunting community can manage game animals whilst safeguarding the natural environment. In Fiordland National Park hunters are funding the control of red deer, trapping stoats and raising and releasing blue ducks as part of a game animal and conservation management program.

“Hunters are some of New Zealand’s most ardent conservationists” said Tom Williams. “The Bill establishing the Game Animal Council as an independent statutory body provides the platform for that work to continue and develop in a formal manner” The number of people going out hunting has been on a steady increase over the last few years. Last weekend’s Sika Show in Taupo attracted many thousands of visitors and is a major contributor to the local community “We give our full support to setting up the Game Animal Council and look forward to participating in the passage of the Bill through parliament” said Tom Williams

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