Recreational duck shooting season remains open in South Australia despite COVID-19 pandemic
(Chris Fithall via Flickr)
The recreational duck shooting season remains open in South Australia despite the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic and declining populations of native water birds.
The duck shooting season has been open for over two weeks in South Australia, and is set to continue until May 31.
The SA Government allowed the duck shooting season to commence at sunrise on March 28, mere hours after the state Premier and Police Commissioner introduced new emergency police powers and community restrictions on the night of March 27 in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19. Those restrictions included a ban on gatherings on more than 10 people.
The Prime Minister told Australians four days earlier to only leave the house when "it is absolutely necessary you go out", and ordered the closure of certain businesses in order to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 throughout the country.
As South Australia's duck shooting season commenced, 287 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been recorded in the state. As of April 14, that number has jumped to 433.
SA Health refused to answer questions about the health implications of allowing duck shooting to continue through a pandemic, and did not address questions about the conflicting government messaging on non-essential activities and travel, though a spokesperson did acknowledge in a phone call that members of the public should "follow federal advice".
SA Health instead deferred enquiries to the SA Department of Environment and Water, the agency that oversees the duck shooting season in South Australia.
A spokesperson for the Department of Environment and Water justified the decision to allow duck shooting by saying the State Government had opted for a "restricted" duck hunting season, and that social distancing regulations would still apply.
"South Australia will have a restricted duck hunting season and no quail hunting season in 2020, however any State and Federal Government COVID 19 restrictions, including those applying to travel and social distancing, still apply," the spokesperson wrote.
"A shortened duck hunting season, with significant restrictions on the number and species of duck which may be taken, opened on 28 March, a month and a half later than usual, and will close one month earlier than usual on 31 May 2020."
The South Australian branch of the Animal Justice Party (AJP) have condemned the SA Government decision to allow recreational duck shooting to continue.
“This is a disgraceful decision by the South Australian Government. Health experts are continuously warning us that COVID-19 is highly contagious and South Australians should only leave home if absolutely necessary," said AJP spokesperson Louise Pfeiffer. "Duck shooters should not be given any exemption.”
“Duck shooting is far from an ‘essential activity’—it’s a thrill kill. To allow the season to go ahead in the midst of a pandemic is a slap in the face to the responsible South Australians cancelling their weddings, funerals and other important events.”
INJURIES & WOUNDS
South Australia is one of three remaining states that allow recreational duck shooting—along with Tasmania and Victoria—despite evidence of extensive community support for a ban on the practice and community concerns for animal welfare.
Western Australia banned duck shooting thirty years ago, with New South Wales and Queensland following suit in 1995 and 2005 respectively. South Australian Premier Steven Marshall called for a parliamentary enquiry into the practice ten years ago when he was first elected, but has since weakened his stance.
Wildlife carers and volunteer rescuers of ducks injured by shooters have repeatedly reported that ducks not immediately killed after a bullet impacts their body are left to suffer painful, drawn-out deaths, and that endangered birds continue to be killed. The RSPCA has for years called for an end to duck shooting, stating "there is no justification for killing and injuring native waterbirds purely for ‘sport’. It is cruel and unnecessary."
Previous research conducted in South Australia by McGregor Tan in 2011 found that once those surveyed learned of the rate of birds wounded but not killed outright by recreational shooters, 83 per cent of respondents agreed that recreational duck shooting should not be allowed to continue.
In response to questioning, the SA Department of Environment refused to specify whether it monitored the numbers of ducks being wounded and maimed during shooting seasons, and would not clarify whether it held any data regarding the rates at which ducks were being injured and left to die.
A spokesperson said only: "Open season permit holders are required to comply with the Code of Practice for the humane destruction of birds by shooting in South Australia."
DISAPPEARING BIRDS
A long-running study of waterbirds conducted by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has tracked populations of native waterbirds in eastern Australia as they have crashed from millions of birds in the early 1980's to less than 100,000 birds today.
An update released by researchers late last year suggested that populations of the majority of bird species tracked by researchers were continuing to decline, and that drought and water resource mismanagement had contributed to population numbers falling. The research also specified that in 2019, much of eastern South Australia experienced drought conditions.
Despite these findings, the SA Department of Environment and Water referenced the decades-long UNSW study in their justification for allowing a recreational duck shooting season to take place.
"The restricted duck open season for 2020 was declared following an assessment of climate data and forecasts, landscape and wetland condition, waterfowl abundance, and also considering whether hunting activities could impact on the conservation and sustainability of waterfowl populations," a spokesperson for the department wrote.
"The information used in this assessment was derived from the Bureau of Meteorology, DEW wetland and waterfowl surveys, the Eastern Australia Waterbird Survey and various remotely sensed landscape condition data."
TRAVELLING TO SHOOT
In a recent post on Facebook, the SA Animal Justice Party allege that a representative for South Australia’s Environment Minister, David Speirs, had told the party that recreational shooting had been allowed to continue because it was classified by the Government as “exercise”, and that shooting was beneficial to the “mental health” of those who regularly participate in duck hunting.
Minister Speirs office has been contacted for comment.
The Animal Justice Party are calling on the SA Government to cancel the recreational duck shooting season.
“The South Australian Government is stressing the importance of South Australians staying home on one day, and then allowing duck shooters to travel from all corners of the state to congregate on another," said Louise Pfeiffer, AJP's spokesperson.
"The hypocrisy is astounding and it is putting the health of South Australians at risk.”
“If Steven Marshall wants South Australians to understand the seriousness of following COVID-19 restrictions—he must urgently cancel the duck shooting season.”