NEWS RELEASE

Dateline: October 2, 2002

$20,000 FINE FOR HUNTER

Kingston businessman Frederick Gore was fined $20,000 or 30 days in prison on Thursday September 26, 2002, for shooting in excess of the bag limit, contrary to the Wild Life Protection (Game Bird Hunting Limit) Regulations 2002. Gore appeared in the Adelphi RM Court, St. James, before Resident Magistrate Evon Brown and pleaded guilty to the charge. This brings to two the number of cases brought against bird shooters during the 2002 season, which ended on September 22.

On August 24, 2002, a monitoring team from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) found Gore in possession of 19 Bald-pate (Columba leucocephala) during the morning shoot. The Regulations allow controlled shooting of selected game birds by licensed hunters during an annual six-week open season.  The objective of controlled hunting is to ensure the sustainability of the bird population. This year four game birds were on the permitted list. These were: the White-winged Dove  (Zenaida asiatica), the Bald-pate (Columbia leucocephala), the Long-tailed Pea Dove (Zenaida macroura) and the Pea Dove (Zenaida aurita). Under the Regulations, hunters must observe a bag limit of no more than 15 Bald-pates in any one session, whether they are hunting Bald-pates exclusively or in conjunction with other species. The bag limit is twenty birds for the other game birds on the list.

NEPA is reminding the public that the Season has now been closed and that no bird shooting is allowed outside of the open season. Persons may report any incident of Bird Shooting outside of the prescribed season to the nearest police station, the Environmental Warden Service (928-0082) or to NEPA at 10 Caledonia Avenue Kingston 10, telephone 754-7543, 1-888-991-5005 (hotline) or e-mail compliance@nepa.gov.jm.