Recommendations from a council hearing panel include a list of nine values for regionally significant wetlands but only recognise habitat for indigenous water fowl.
Those amendments were included in proposed plan change 2 (regionally significant wetlands) which was notified last weekend, giving those who made submissions 30 working days to appeal.
Fish and Game environmental officer Peter Wilson said the council had made its concerns clear to the council but it had not acknowledged introduced gamebirds, such as wild mallards, as an important natural characteristic of wetlands.
Mallards were the most popular and common gamebird and were dependent on freshwater habitats, including wetlands.
"It's a real kick in the teeth for Otago's 4000 gamebird hunters," Mr Wilson said.
There was no logic to the council's decision, as gamebird hunters were "probably the biggest force behind wetland conservation" and advocated for better protection of wetlands such as Lakes Tuakitoto, Waihola and Waipori in Otago.
"Why, at a time when wetlands are under more threat than ever, ORC want to alienate one of the biggest users and supporters is beyond us."
Hearing panel chairman Cr Michael Deaker said when contacted the Resource Management Act, which governed the council's policy, recognised only indigenous flora and fauna.
"It's not our responsibility to look after gamebirds."
However, the panel believed the proposed changes, by giving increased protection to regionally significant wetlands, also gave more protection to the habitats of all sorts of fowl, introduced and indigenous.
At a council meeting, Cr Deaker said it had taken four years and a "huge amount" of work to get to that point of notification but the council now had a "better fix" on the wetlands in the region.
Council staff and consultants had made many visits to assess where wetlands started and finished.
The resulting document was "clearer, easier to read, more precise and better set out", he said.
After much discussion, nine clear statements outlining the values Otago's wetlands should be assessed upon to be considered a regionally significant wetland were agreed.
Panel member Cr Duncan Butcher said the plan was amended after submissions were heard and the panel was forced to look hard at some issues to ensure they did not interfere with the integrity of the proposed water plan change 6A, he said.
The panel had also done some "soul-searching" on the blanket coverage of wetlands above 800m but had decided to stick with the proposed plan.
It also made changes to allow wetlands to be added if missed, he said.
Cr Gretchen Robertson said it strengthened the measures the council was taking around water issues and sat side by side with the work being done on water quality and quantity.
Cr Gerry Eckhoff said it was very generous of landowners to give their wetland areas.
"They've been prepared to accept this without any compensation because other people value areas on their land."
The council adopted the recommendations of the hearing panel.
