A Monaghan resident has voiced his concerns in relation to changes made to the 'Open Seasons Order' by Minister for Culture and Heritage Malcolm Noonan for the coming duck shooting season. Dan Curley who lives in Monaghan is the Vice President of the National Association of Regional Game Councils.
In the changes which were issued only last week, Minister Noonan stated that only certain species may be hunted at certain times, due to concerns over a decline in species. Speaking on this morning's Joe Finnegan Show, Mr Curley accused Minister Noonan of acting in "bad faith" after the order was only signed one week prior to the start of the season.
While BirdWatch Ireland has recently issued its concerns over a "severe decline" in certain species here in Ireland, Mr Curley described such claims as "scientifically untrue". The local resident described the new order as "totally unsatisfactory" adding that many shooters going out on the 1st of September will be "totally unaware".
Meanwhile, BirdWatch Ireland has called for further analysis to be undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) with regard to nine of the other species listed – Tufted Duck, Snipe, Mallard, Woodcock, Teal, Gadwall, Red Grouse, Wigeon and Jack Snipe.
It says that of these species, three are currently Red-listed - Snipe, Woodcock, Red Grouse - while five are Amber-listed including the Tufted Duck, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon; and one Green-listed, the Jack Snipe.
BirdWatchIreland added: "Declining populations as underpinned by IWeBS data coupled with a number of data gaps give serious cause for concern for these species. BirdWatch Ireland called for the NPWS to carry out additional analysis of the data for these species across their wintering and breeding populations and range, in order to inform the best next steps to take for them."
