King Country Parrie Season Cancelled

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please view the Auckland / Waikato Fish & Game region boundary map for official regional boundaries.

The special King Country paradise shelduck season has become somewhat of an institution in the Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game region, being held on the first full weekend of March for the past 23 years. 

At times, some of the life cycle phases of this species can bring them into conflict with landowners as large flocks have the potential to damage pasture and crops, particularly after their flightless moult stage in summer and subsequent feeding to replenish reserves. 

The special season was introduced for this reason, to act as a post moult dispersal mechanism and has formed an important management in order to help reduce conflict.

Despite setting increasingly restrictive harvest conditions, the moult population as monitored during the annual trend flights which have been occurring for as long as the season itself, continue to decline. The total number counted in 2012 is just above 4000 which is less than a third of the count in late 1980s and early 1990s. The last five years in particular have revealed consistently low numbers.

We called for advice of those farmers with problems via newspapers circulating in the King Country and the local branch Federated Farmers. This resulted in only one landowner advising us of a problem which we promptly resolved. These results coupled with a decline in harvest and feedback from hunters has meant that there will be no special season in the King Country this year.

There is little doubt that paradise shelduck have flourished with the increase in pasture development for agriculture and are one of the few native birds that has benefited from Man’s impact on New Zealand.  They are also delayed breeders, have a moderate clutch size, a low re-nesting rate if nests are abandoned and survival of post-fledgling Juveniles is low, about half that of mallards. These characteristics limit their ability to recover quickly from high mortality events such as over-harvest.

One of the disappointing aspects of the special season in recent years has been the inability of some hunters to follow the regulations and keep to within their limits. We have caught and prosecuted a number of individuals who have often shot three or four times their limits. These are the hunters who have ruined it for the rest of the law abiding individuals out there and have in part led to the state of the current population which has forced Fish and Game to cease with the special season in 2012.

NORTHLAND SPECIAL PARADISE SHELDUCK SEASON TO RUN AGAIN

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please view the Auckland / Waikato Fish & Game region boundary map for official regional boundaries.

On the positive note, paradise shelduck numbers in the North Auckland region are still strong and we will have another special season in this area in conjunction with the Northland special season which falls on the last full weekend of February.

If you are interested in participating, please contact us at the office (07) 849 1666 or admin@awfg.org.nz to acquire the necessary permits and information.

It is likely that as numbers bounce back in the King Country in the future we will once again have a special season in this area.  In the interim, we will continue to help landowners on a site specific basis.

Landowners that experience issues with paradise shelduck on pastures or crops, please contact your local Fish and Game Council ASAP.