The council, said in a statement, it congratulated the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation on successfully submitting its wapiti "herd of special interest" (HOSI) proposal.
Minister of Hunting and Fishing James Meager was considering formally designating wapiti as a HOSI in Fiordland National Park.
To support the wapiti HOSI, the government will also introduce a Bill to Parliament to clarify the designation of HOSI in national parks, through a small amendment to the Game Animal Council Act 2013. If passed, the Bill will clarify that HOSI can be established in national parks as was originally intended and clarify the existing legislation.
This move was criticised by Forest & Bird, which said it amounted to letting a North American species use a national park as a "vege patch".
"The value of Fiordland wapiti is recognised in the Fiordland National Park management plan, representing one of the few truly wild wapiti herds outside their native range, and providing an unparalleled hunting opportunity in one of New Zealand’s most remote and rewarding landscapes," NZ Game Animal Council chairman Grant Dodson said.
"The herd holds historical significance and is a New Zealand hunting icon, given to New Zealand by United States President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905.
"In 2011, the Wapiti Foundation began managing Fiordland wapiti under a community agreement with the Department of Conservation. The foundation has achieved sustained management of wapiti that protects Fiordland’s unique biodiversity first, and provides for hunting purposes second, at near no cost to the taxpayer."
He said the foundation actively managed the wapiti population to reduce impacts on the environment.
It also managed six back-country huts and more than 500 predator-control traps, protecting native birds such as kiwi and blue duck.
It had recently established a charitable trust enabling hunters to give the venison they harvested to foodbanks.
"The annual wapiti hunting ballot attracts thousands of domestic and international hunters, bringing with it an estimated $1.3million spend per year. Additionally, wapiti hunters contribute thousands of hours to conservation initiatives.
"The Fiordland Wapiti Foundation are recognised globally for how hunters and conservationists can work together to achieve shared goals, which is something to be celebrated and supported.
"Designating a wapiti HOSI will safeguard the long-term gains already being made for conservation, hunters, the economy and the wider community and ensure they endure, independent of shifting government priorities or resources
"The minister’s ability to designate a HOSI has existed since the council’s establishment by legislation in 2013. However, no HOSI has ever been created," he said.
"The reasons for this are complex and include political considerations and lack of a formal process for considering proposals and developing a herd management plan.
"The council looks forward to supporting the minister, the Department of Conservation and the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation in the next phase of the HOSI process." — APL
