NEWS

Advocacy Update: NZDA Submits on West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy

NZDA Submission West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy Review Survey

Toward the end of 2024 NZDA submitted detailed recommendations to improve the West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy (CMS), advocating for the inclusion of hunters as key stakeholders in conservation and recreation.

Key points from our submission include:

  • Recognising Hunting’s Dual Role: Emphasising recreational hunting as both a valuable outdoor pursuit and an effective conservation tool for managing game species such as tahr, chamois, and deer.
  • Improving Access: Recommending increased helicopter landing permits, designated landing sites, and better track and hut infrastructure to support hunters' contributions to conservation.
  • Shooting Ranges: Proposing 4–5 designated shooting ranges near key communities to promote safe firearms use and training. NZDA is prepared to manage these facilities in partnership with DOC.
  • Modern Frameworks: Aligning the CMS with policies such as the Game Animal Council Act and the Access Charter to ensure sustainable land management and equitable access for hunters.
  • Hunter-Led Conservation: Advocating for a framework that formalises hunter-led efforts as core to conservation strategies, contributing to biodiversity while supporting local economies.
  • Fair Opportunities: Opposing heli-hunting and exclusive concessions, which undermine recreational hunting and conservation principles.

 

Read our full submission here.

 

To learn more about the West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) review, see more information here.

 

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