By MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 17 January 2014
Strict new safety requirements have been introduced as areas of State forest in NSW are re-declared for licensed recreational hunting, Acting Minister for Primary Industries Andrew Stoner today announced.
Mr Stoner said from 3 February, R-licensed recreational hunters will have access to some State forests, providing they adhere to the NSW Government's strict new safety requirements.
"The NSW Government has always committed to reintroducing recreational licensed hunting in State forests, but only if it could be confident that this activity could be undertaken in the safest manner possible," Mr Stoner said.
"Recreational licensed hunting has been allowed in State forests since 2006; however, following the independent Governance Review of the Game Council of NSW, the NSW Government suspended this activity in July 2013 until an updated risk assessment could be completed.
"Now that the Forestry Corporation of NSW has updated its risk assessment, which the NSW Government has considered, this activity may now recommence but R-licensed hunters must comply with important new safety protocols."
The Forestry Corporation of NSW completed the first risk assessment of hunting in State forests in 2005, and this has been reviewed and updated in 2009, 2010 and now 2013.
The new safety requirements include:
