The Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament last week, ensuring there is no requirement to exterminate valued introduced species that have been designated as a Herd of Special Interest (HOSI) in a national park.
Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager welcomed the passing of legislation to clarify how a HOSI operated in a national park.
Mr Meager said, in a statement, it was a minor but important change to ensure the legislation for designating a HOSI was unambiguous.
‘‘The National Parks Act’s requirement to ‘exterminate’ introduced animals as far as possible was potentially at odds with the purpose of designating a HOSI, which is to manage game animals for hunting purposes while preserving conservation outcomes,’’ Mr Meager said.
Last year, a proposal emerged around developing protections for game animals on public conservation land.
It would be formally designated by the Minister for Hunting and Fishing and managed for hunting while ensuring conservation values continued to be protected.
Submissions opened on the proposals for two herds — wapiti in Fiordland National Park and sika deer in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka forest parks as well as the Kaweka Conservation Area.
Wapiti deer in New Zealand can be traced back to March 1905, when 18 North American wapiti (elk) were released at the head of George Sound in Fiordland.
Ten of these animals were a personal gift from then American president Theodore Roosevelt, while the New Zealand government bought the remaining animals from Yellowstone National Park.
They have grown in number significantly and are the targeted in a popular hunting roar in March and April.
Submissions were sought on the HOSI proposal with 352 received in December.
Mr Meager said HOSIs were another tool to effectively and sustainably manage deer, tahr and other valued introduced species on the conservation estate.
‘‘By utilising hunter-led conservation groups we can manage deer numbers down to healthier, sustainable herd levels, while better protecting our biodiversity.
‘‘I thank all members of the public who gave their views on the Bill at the environment select committee process.’’
Mr Meager expected to decide on whether to formally designate sika and wapiti deer as New Zealand’s first HOSIs soon.
The Department of Conservation said if the minister went ahead with the HOSI proposal it would be completed this month.
The HOSI would cover 190,700ha of Fiordland National Park, reflecting the location and boundaries of the existing ‘‘Wapiti area’’.
