Canada Goose decision ‘a costly own goal’ [Fish & Game NZ]

Fish & Game NZ says removing the protection status of Canada geese will be a costly one for farmers and ratepayers.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson’s decision this morning means Fish & Game will no longer manage the geese as a hunting resource.

Fish & Game chief executive Bryce Johnson says Federated Farmers, on behalf of a small group of landowners, has managed to sway the Minister on this issue and will ultimately rue the decision when the considerable costs and difficulty of managing the birds becomes evident.

Fish & Game NZ has routinely spent hundreds of thousands of dollars annually on Canada Goose management – funds its been forced to pull from core activities – in line with its commitment to manage geese numbers at appropriate levels.

“The small group within Federated Farmers who lobbied the Minister so hard on this issue will probably spin this as a win. Ironically though, the Minister’s decision will foist the considerable expense of goose control onto their membership and, indeed, all farmers if the expected push for ratepayer-funded regional councils to take responsibility for control happens.

“It’s just unfortunate that other ratepayers will now likely be caught in the crossfire of footing some of the bill from the Federated Farmer’s own goal,” says Mr Johnson.

Fish & Game is aware of a source in one particular regional council costing local Canada Goose control at around $100,000 annually if the bird has to be controlled through a regional pest management strategy.

“The bizarre thing about this decision is regional councils are aware and afraid of the costs of controlling the birds so they don’t want the responsibility, nor do the airport authorities or the overwhelming majority of high country farmers for the very same reason,” says Mr Johnson.

“All of the effort and expertise that Fish & Game puts in to Canada Goose management has now been lost at the stroke of the pen. It makes you wonder what, or who, is behind this decision and just what technical advice the Minister is relying upon.”

Mr Johnson says the decision is also bad news for the Minister’s own department: “The majority of geese live on the conservation estate and fly out to adjacent pastures so the landowner, DOC, which has faced successive funding cuts in recent years, will now have to foot the bill with its dwindling resources.

“I doubt DOC realises the implications of its Minister’s decision.

“It’s extremely saddening for the tens of thousands of Kiwi hunters who face a majestic game bird, often spoken of as the prince of them all, now being relegated to ‘pest’ status for purely political reasons.

Facts
• The total South Island Canada Goose population is around 32,000 birds – in stock units terms, this is equivalent to a single 1200-cow dairy herd.
• Contrary to the Minister of Conservation’s statements, she does have direct input into goose management, signing off all sports fish and game management plans. She has also, only last week, signed out the current hunting regulations inclusive of Canada geese.
• Goose population number is an irrelevant management measure – Fish & Game NZ has been operating a successful effects-based system and has responded to all farmer complaints.
• Continued agricultural development is increasing the distribution and carrying capacity for Canada geese.

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