Ruahine battle for the Birds Aerial 1080

RUAHINE AERIAL 1080

Gordon George, LNIRDF president has prepared the following for hunters concerned about the Ruahine BFTB (battle for the Birds) aerial 1080 operation

We suggest hunters lobby Associate Minister Dunne and Prime Minister English and Minister Maggie Barry and any local MP’s in relation to reducing the scale of the Ruahine BFTB operation and using the available mitigation methods (deer repellent) where aerial 1080 is ultimately used in order to reduce the adverse effects upon recreational hunters given the indiscriminate nature of standard aerial 1080.

-We are not aposed to the need for rat and stoat control. While not apposing the use of aerial 1080 to control pests, where this is necessary, we do hold significant concerns as to the collateral damage done by this poison..  

-The scale of this years beech mast related battle for the birds proposed aerial 1080 operation is far greater than hunters were originally lead to believe, now covering around 30% of the Ruahine Forest park  -Ruahine FP has the highest hunting permit issues of any Public Conservation Land (PCL) in the lower North Island and perhaps in the Country. There is significant hunter usage and significant potential for adverse effects given that literally thousands of hunters derive meat from the -Ruahines (it is not a trophy herd).  

-A working party is endeavouring to produce a Ruahine Deer Management Plan aiming to create a sustainable regime for the benefit of hunters and conservation, this flies in the face of those efforts.   -Aerial 1080 has the potential to kill significant numbers of deer in a very inhumane manner yet we have been told by the department that deer are not a target species  

-This proposed operation is not being adequately consulted upon. Despite the known interests in the Ruahines of at least 15 hunting clubs (and the Lower North Island Red deer foundation they are members of) only a few local NZDA branches are reportedly (according to DoC comments) ----

Hunters succeeded in their high court WARO challenge against the department because of the failure of the department to consult fairly and adequately. It seems nothing has been learned.  

-There are methods to mitigate the adverse effects of aerial 1080 and make it more target specific.  

-As the scale of harm is increased the pool of funds available for mitigation must be increased not left static or shrinking or worse as has been suggested by DoC and OSPRI, that hunters should pay. The costs of mitigation should be borne by those whose actions create the harm.  

-This is a fundamental principle of natural justice. There is no other activity area in New Zealand where an adverse effect creating activity expects the victim to pay for mitigation.  

-It is not appropriate to ask others (GAC and NZDA national office) to decide on what areas get mitigation whist others (e.g. DoC) decide what funds exist irrespective of the need or the increased scale of the overall operations.

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What we seek  

-Urgent widespread consultation- As the judge noted in the recent WARO case, DoC formed a hunter consultation group but then failed to talk to them.

  -The pool of funds available for mitigation must be significantly increased and those funds must come from those causing the new harm not the victims.  

-The scale of the Ruahine operation must be properly justified or the area reduced   -Any 1080 operations which ultimately occur in the Ruahines must contain deer repellent.

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Gordon George

Emails   bill.english@parliament.govt.nz

Peter.Dunne@parliament.govt.nz

Maggie.Barry@parliament.govt.nz   DOC   Reg Kemper i LNI Director   rkemper@doc.govt.nz