Ban proposal upsets Fish & Game

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

Fish and Game is unimpressed with a proposal to ban hunting dogs from the Ashley Rakahuri River estuary during duck shooting season.

The Waimakariri District Council is consulting on a new Northern Pegasus Bay Bylaw, which includes banning all dogs on the spit and the Ashley Rakahuri River and Saltwater Creek estuary.

The bylaw governs what activities are allowed on the district’s beaches.
The new rules will remove an exemption which has allowed holders of Fish and Game hunting licenses to take their dogs into the estuary area during gamebird hunting season.

The measures are designed to protect ecological values and bird habitats around the estuary and wetlands.

But Fish and Game North Canterbury game bird specialist Matt Garrick was not impressed with the proposed ban.

He said he corresponded with the council a year ago, but had not had any further contact.

‘‘I explained that duck season does not overlap during critical, sensitive periods, such as nesting, so there would be no conflict with dogs used for game bird hunting.’’

He said he requested data to demonstrate game bird hunting and dogs in the winter was having an effect on the estuary's bird life, but had heard nothing further.

The estuary is home to threatened bird species including wrybills, black-bill gulls, banded dotterels, black-fronted terns and pied oystercatchers, some of which are also endangered.

A council spokesperson said staff reached out to Fish and Game North Canterbury in January and May last year to inform the organisation it was conducting a review of the bylaw.

‘‘Based on feedback we received from the public consultation on the bylaw, which ran for three months over summer of 2023-24, we are now proposing to exclude all dogs and this would include hunting dogs.

‘‘We welcome any feedback on the proposed changes to the bylaw from Fish and Game and any other group or individual.’’

Submissions can be made at letstalk.waimakariri.govt.nz... until June 14.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.