West Coast farmers opposed the transfer of wildlife management to the Game Animal Council

The Act party's proposal aimed at changing the control system for deer and goat populations on public lands has drawn a mixed reaction. It is assumed that expanding the powers of the Game Animal Council (GAC) will simplify access for hunters, including the use of drones and helicopters. However, representatives of the West Coast farming community, including Simon Cameron, head of Federated Farmers West Coast, are opposed to such a management model.

The main point of disagreement is the GAC strategy, which suggests limiting the harvest of mature males to preserve their gene pool. Local farmers call this approach ridiculous, insisting on the need for a national strategy under the auspices of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Farmers fear that centralization of management will lead to the introduction of paid hunting licenses and insist on a collaborative approach that takes into account the local interests of landowners.

For its part, the leadership of the Game Animal Council, represented by Corina Jordan, emphasizes the inefficiency of the current system. According to the GAC, existing management is fragmented and does not allow for control over the migration of animals between private and public lands. The Council calls for an increase in the harvesting of females to regulate population numbers, noting that hunting is directed at mature males whose genetic contribution has already occurred.

Dave Mitchell, president of the West Coast Deerstalkers Association, also took part in the discussion, viewing the potential transfer of powers to the Council positively. He noted that the Department of Conservation destroys animals indiscriminately, whereas hunters view them as a food resource, which allows for more effective maintenance of population numbers. At the same time, he acknowledged the problem of limited access to certain areas where the density of wild animals continues to rise.

Additional context to the situation was provided by South Westland farmer and Regional Council member Andy Campbell. He had previously called for viewing deer and goats as a food source rather than leaving their carcasses in the field, which is especially relevant in the context of discussions on the Regional Pest Management Plan.