Hon James Meager, Minister for Hunting and Fishing today announced that two draft HOSI herd management plans will be available for public feedback from Monday 10 November.

The plans propose objectives for managing the sika herd in Central North Island and the wapiti herd in Fiordland. It also sets out how these objectives are intended to be achieved at a higher level.

GAC Chair Grant Dodson says that a HOSI (Herd of Special Interest) is only legally possible under the Game Animal Council Act 2013.

“It represents a paradigm shift in how game animals are considered in law, recognising game animals as valued introduced species - in particular for their hunting values, and the role of hunters in managing them,” he says.

A HOSI can be designated by the Minister for Hunting and Fishing following the development of a herd management plan. The management plan must be consulted on and then approved by the Minister.

“This consultation is an important opportunity for New Zealanders – hunter or not – to have their say and help shape HOSI,” Dodson says.

GAC CEO Corina Jordan says HOSI is an exciting prospect for New Zealand as it provides a modern approach to valuing game animals and their management.

“This kind of approach has never been taken before in New Zealand and I believe HOSI will deliver better outcomes for hunters and for community, compared to current management frameworks under the Conservation Act 1987,” Jordan says.

“Through the HOSI model, we can promote sustainable, responsible, and collaborative environmental stewardship of New Zealand’s natural environment while maximising the benefits game animals provide.

“The GAC has invested significant resource into developing the HOSI framework and supporting the Sika Foundation and Fiordland Wapiti Foundation.

“We look forward to continuing our work in establishing HOSI and seeing where a values-based approach to management can take game animal management in the future.”

Consultation on the Sika HOSI and Wapiti HOSI herd management plans opens Monday 10 November and closes Monday 8 December.

A HOSI is a herd of game animal on public conservation land that is managed for hunting purposes while maintaining or improving ecological outcomes.

The NZ Game Animal Council is a statutory organisation working toward the sustainable management of hunting and game animal management.

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