2014 Game Bird Hunting Season To Close Two Charged With Breaches of the Wild Life Protection Act

September 19, 2014

As the 2014 Game Bird Hunting Season comes to an end, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is reporting that two more hunters were charged with breaches of the Wild Life Protection Act in Clarendon and Portland respectively.

One of the hunters was a Clarendon businessman who was arrested and charged for hunting game birds without a Hunter's Licence in Longville Park, Clarendon. The businessman is to appear in the Clarendon Resident Magistrate's Court in May Pen on Thursday, September 25.

The other incident was in Darley, Portland where a hunter from St. James was charged for possession and hunting of Ring-tailed Pigeons which are protected birds, under the Wild Life Protection Act. He will appear in the Portland Resident Magistrate's Court in Port Antonio on Tuesday, September 30.

The Agency will declare the 2014 Game Bird Hunting Season closed on Sunday, 21 September 2014. The Agency warned that anyone caught hunting after the season is closed will be prosecuted and can face a maximum fine of $100,000 or imprisonment.

All hunters who were issued a Hunter's Licence, whether or not they participated in the sport this year, are required to submit their 2014 Hunter's Bird Shooting Report Form to NEPA by 31 December 2014. The forms are to be properly completed. Failure to do so will result in the forms being returned.

Any hunter who fails to return their Hunter's Bird Shooting Report Form by 31 December will be required to pay a late processing fee of $5,000.00 when submitting the outstanding form. No future Hunter's Licence will be granted to a hunter until the requisite form has been submitted to NEPA.

Persons may contact NEPA at 754-7540 or 1- 888-991-5005 or 119 for further information on the 2014 Game Bird Hunting Season or to report any illegal hunting activity.