Maori trust in gun over hunting ban

KENT BLECHYNDEN/The Dominion Post

DUCK OFF THE MENU: Nick Hayes, who has been locked out of his favourite duck-shooting lake near Eastbourne.

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Hunters are gunning for a Maori trust after being banned from duck-shooting at two lakes near Eastbourne.

Hunters say the move is the first time duck shooters have been penalised by a Treaty settlement.

The Port Nicholson Block Treaty Settlement Trust assumed administrative control of lakes Kohangatera and Kohangapiripiri at Pencarrow from the Conservation Department last September.

Hunters have been shooting ducks at the lakes for at least 80 years.

For the past 10 years, DOC has granted permits to about 30 hunters wishing to shoot during the Wellington region season.

Trust secretary Aroha Thorpe wrote to shooters on March 3 advising them that the shooting of all water fowl would now be banned for the May to June shooting season.

"Trustees have determined that, for reasons of the conservation and preservation of the Parangarahu lakes area, access shall no longer be available to duck shooters for the shooting of ducks and/or other water fowl," Mrs Thorpe said.

The trust decision was co-signed by DOC's Wellington area manager, Rob Stone.

Greater Wellington regional council chairwoman Fran Wilde also confirmed there was a policy paper before her councillors seeking support for the trust's decision.

Fish and Game Council chief executive Bryce Johnson said the trust had no right to impose the ban. It appeared to breach section 52 of the Port Nicholson Block Claims Settlement Act, which grants lawful right of access to the lakes.

However, it does give the trust the power to ban recreational activities if it "involves a risk of a significant adverse effect" to the lakes.

A spokesman for Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson said the intention of the settlement was not to affect recreational activities that did not risk adverse effects on the lakes' environment.

Mr Finlayson was "looking into the issue" and would meet trust chairman Sir Ngatata Love next week, the spokesman said.

Sir Ngatata said the decision to ban duck shooting was not taken lightly. "It was based on sound heritage, conservation and reserve management practices."

A 2002 DOC report said there was concern about risks to the biosecurity of the area.

Nine species of freshwater fish, including the nationally threatened giant kokopu, live in the lakes and several threatened plant species grow in the area.

Wellington Wildfowlers Association member Simon Muckley said nothing shooters did at the lakes had an adverse environmental impact.

The group was still hoping to negotiate with the trust over use of the land, but had not had any response to its requests for a meeting. If members were not able to meet the trust, they would wait for the Government's response before deciding on their next move, he said.

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