A review of the Wildlife Act 1953: Identifying issues for the Society and developing a suitable response
Bruce McKinlay1 on behalf of the Birds New Zealand Council
1 11 Brugh Place Waverley Dunedin 9013 (president@birdsnz.org.nz)
The Department of Conservation has announced a ‘first principles’ review of the Wildlife Act 1953. The Act is the legislation that protects wildlife and manages game bird hunting in Aotearoa. It determines which species are classed as wildlife and regulates many human interactions with these species. The Department has identified that the current Act is not fit for modern conservation management as, among other matters, it lacks the tools to protect threatened species, and prevents fulfilment of obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.
Wildlife, as defined in the Act, includes both native and introduced species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The Act provides for game bird hunting (currently of 13 species), which is managed by Fish and Game councils. The Act also provides for the establishment and management of wildlife sanctuaries, wildlife refuges, and wildlife management reserves.
As yet, the review has not engaged with the public or interested partners such as the Society. The Society’s objectives include encouraging and promoting the study of birds and their habitat use, fostering and supporting the wider knowledge and enjoyment of birds, promoting the recording and wide circulation of the results of bird studies and observations, and to assist the conservation and management of birds by providing information, from which sound management decisions can be derived. Council has started to consider how this ‘first principles’ review will interact with and affect our objects, and consequently our projects and who we are. This presentation is intended to complement the plenary presentation by the Environmental Defence Society, and to inform a debate by members on how we should proceed in any review.