Andrea Downer, Features Writer

This year's bird-shooting season began on September 8 and will end on Sunday, September 23. The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) said the year's bird-shooting exercise was rescheduled from the initial date of September 1 to September 30 due to the recent passage of Hurricane Dean.

According to NEPA, during the bird-shooting season, shooting sessions are allowed only on weekends. Saturdays, from sunrise to 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to sunset, and on Sundays, sunrise to 9:00 a.m. Only four species of birds may be shot during the season, the White-winged Dove, Bald-pate, Mourning Dove and Pea Dove. Each hunter is allowed to shoot a limit of 20 birds at each session, except for the Bald-pate, which has been reduced to a bag limit of 10 birds per session.

All hunters must have a valid hunter's licence and must have it in their possession while undertaking bird-shooting activities. The licence must be presented to a game warden or any other authorised officer upon request. Natalie Fearon, manager of public education and corporate communication at NEPA, told The Gleaner that persons interested in obtaining hunter's licences for the season may purchase them at NEPA's office on Caledonia Road in Kingston or from designated vendors. She said a list of the vendors is published at the start of each season. However, she said only holders of valid shotgun licences would be granted hunter's licences. Granting of the licences is usually done the same day applications are received.

"The fee this year is $10,000, which is $2,000 more than it was last year. The fees are used to offset monitoring costs and this year's increase is as a result of an increase in monitoring costs," she explained.

Bird population a major factor

Mrs. Fearon told The Gleaner that NEPA took the decision to allow bird shooting this year after thorough investigations.

"Technical people from our Biodiversity Division carried out an assessment following Hurricane Dean and based on their findings, they recommended a shortened season," she revealed.

She said the length of the bird-shooting season varies each year and is determined by NEPA's assessment of the bird population.

The agency added that that it is against the law to shoot any bird unless a bird-shooting season is declared, as this would be a breach of the Wild Life Protection Act which may result in a maximum fine of $100,000.00 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months. Additionally, persons may also be charged if game birds are found in their possession in cold storage and there is evidence to support the suspicion that it is intended for commercial purposes.

NEPA stipulates that after the season closes, all hunters must complete and return their report forms to NEPA on or before December 31.