THIS YEAR'S bird shooting season has been shortened because of a number of environmental factors such as hurricanes and bush fires.
Minister of Land and Environment Dean Peart recently announced that the annual season, which began on Saturday, will last until September 25, five weekends instead of the traditional six, and starts one week later than usual. This abbreviated and delayed season is due to a later-than-usual nesting season which has been attributed to the ravages of Hurricane Ivan, recent droughts and bush fires.
Although there is evidence that the environment has recovered from the damage, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has recommended a shortened season as a precautionary measure. The agency is, therefore, reminding hunters that breaches of the Wild Life Protection Act will not be tolerated, and that hunting is allowed only on weekends: Saturdays, sunrise to 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to sunset, and on Sunday mornings from sunrise to 9:00 a.m.
The fee for the 2005 hunting permit has been almost doubled, increasing from $4,000 to $7,000. The increased revenue will be used to facilitate an extensive survey of the bird population and to determine the beginning, length and bag limit for each season.
OVERSHOOTING AN OFFENCE
Hunters are being advised that the bag limit for the 2005 season remains at a total of 20 birds at each shoot, except for the bald-pate, of which no more than 15 may be taken in any one shoot. Overshooting is an offence under the Wild Life Protection Act. It is also illegal to trap, or use a sling-shot to shoot birds without a permit under the act.
During this period, only the following four birds may be shot: the pea dove (Zenaida aurita), the white-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica), bald-pate (Columba Leucocephala) and mourning dove (Zenaida macroura).
While in the field, each hunter must also ensure that he or she has in his or her possession, a shotgun licence and a valid bird hunter's permit issued by NEPA. Hunters are also being reminded that shooting is prohibited in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, inside or within 50 metres of a game reserve, and no less than 40 metres from population centres.
