NSW’s fastest growing pro-shooting organisation says it’s time to put wild Duck back on the menu and is calling for the recommencement of the NSW Open Duck season.
The September 2019 NSW DPI report into the economic & social benefits of conservation hunting highlighted that NSW conservation hunters contributed $1.8 billion to the NSW economy in the 2017-2018 period. (Source: NSW Dept Primary Industries)
Even with the challenges presented by COVID-19 in 2020, total expenditure by NSW conservation hunters declined by only 10% in the 2019-2020 financial year. (Source: NSW Dept. Primary Industries)
This expenditure extends well beyond the firearms and ammunition industry and directly benefits the camping, hunting, safety equipment, fuel & food, automotive and accommodation industries throughout rural & metropolitan New South Wales.
The ‘La Nina’ induced record rainfall throughout the 2020 season has seen a large increase in the numbers of Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Chestnut Teal, Hardhead, Mountain Duck & Pink Ear Duck (Source: GMA Vic Ministerial report into the 2021 Victorian Duck Season) throughout NSW.
Shooters Union NSW co-ordinator Craig Golding said Wood Duck numbers were in such plague proportions that they were now severely impacting turf farms and farm dams, as well as private and public swimming pools.
“Populations of ducks across NSW are such that the re-commencement of the open Duck season is both sustainable and essential in the management of Duck numbers throughout NSW,” he said.
“Currently, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania all conduct sustainable open Duck seasons.
“The humane hunting of wild Ducks, when combined with accurate, scientifically supported evidence, is not only sustainable but provides economic, environmental and social benefits to regional and metropolitan New South Wales alike.”