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Field and Game Australia

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Field & Game Australia (FGA) is an Australian non-government organization formed in 1958 for conservation, hunting and clay target shooting, and is based in Seymour Victoria.[1]

FGA has always been an advocate of "sustainable utilisation" as the best way to conserve the native flora and fauna of Australia. They believe that as hunters they understand the need for sustainable hunting.[2] FGA volunteers undertake waterfowl counts each year to assist government wildlife managers obtain waterfowl population numbers and locations.[2] These figures are not published but reported to the Hunting Advisory Committee.[3]

Over the years its members have built and organised the construction of thousands of nest boxes across Australia. They are monitored regularly, nesting numbers are recorded, and introduced species are removed.[4] This work has been very successful in breeding birds and educating the wider community of the importance of wetlands and their native inhabitants.[5]

History

The Victorian Field and Game Association was established in 1958 at Sale. The name comes from "field sportsmen" and "game management" abbreviated to "Field & Game". Field & Game was formed by hunters who were concerned at the loss of wetland habitat for the game birds they loved to observe and hunt.[6]

Other resolutions adopted at that first meeting in 1958 were:

  • To develop Victorian facilities for game bird hunting by the promotion of conservation and management projects.
  • To develop a greater public appreciation of the pleasures and values of game bird hunting.
  • To organise a deputation to the Chief Secretary seeking the establishment of a shooter's license to fund game conservation.

At its first meeting the association adopted the following motto which, up until recent times, appeared on all its letterheads: "The wildlife of today is not ours to dispose of as we please. We have it in trust. We must account for it to those who come after". ~ King George VI[7]

Initially the association concentrated its efforts on three wetlands of significance: Winton Swamp near Benalla (now Lake Mokoan), Tower Hill in Western Victoria and Jack Smith Lake in Gippsland.

In those early days the association appeared as radical in its aims as many contemporary conservation groups do today. This was because hunters placed a value on swampland, which at the time because of its unsuitability for agriculture was otherwise regarded as being useless. Many in the community thought the FGA members odd in the 1950s when they proposed that regulated water supply from irrigation systems should be available to wetlands.

"Building Assets for all Australians"

Members of the association lobbied strongly for the introduction of a shooter's license system that would make funds available for the protection of wetland habitats. Under Sir Henry Bolte's watchful eye, the shooter's license was established in 1959 and provided Victoria's first ever funds for game and wildlife management. Important areas of waterfowl habitat were purchased and the Game Research Station at Serindip near Lara was established – now a popular wetland education centre. The shooters license raises over $4 million annually. A new game license introduced in 1990 raises another $1 million annually.[citation needed]

Recognition of FGA's efforts came in 1978 when the association won the Conservation Council of Victoria's prestigious prize for the organisation that had contributed the most to conservation over a 5-year period.[citation needed]

Organisational structure

FGA has over 15,000 members, over 60 branches and 51 simulated field clay target shooting grounds throughout Australia. FGA volunteers spend many thousands of hours on a variety of activities, including wetland rehabilitation and management, shooter education, waterfowl identification courses ("WIT tests"), firearm safety and training, pest and vermin eradication, and organised duck hunts and fox drives.

The individual FGA branches are the members of the national body, and the branches' delegates vote at national meetings. Each branch is an incorporated association, with individual members being entitled to vote at branch meetings. The current chairman of Field & Game Australia (national body) is Russell Bate. Its current patrons include former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, former Speaker of the House of Representatives David Hawker and zoologist Prof. Grahame Webb. Former patrons include the late Sir Henry Bolte, and former Victorian Governor the late Sir Rohan Delacombe.[8]

In 2009, Sale Field & Game spokesperson Gary Howard was found guilty in Sale Magistrates Court on the charges of taking and using water without authority, and with interfering with the flow in a waterway. Howard was fined $1500 and ordered to pay costs of $1500.[9] The Heart Morass adjoins Lake Wellington and water taken from the river was beneficial to the environment and did not deprive any other land users or downstream environments. The actions were uncovered by the anti-hunting group Coalition Against Duck Shooting, who monitored Heart Morass after learning that 100 FGA members had paid to hunt on the opening weekend.[10] The police investigation showed that Howard, who is on the committee of management for Heart Morass, had released water onto the property, owned by the FGA, just prior to the opening of the hunting season to attract ducks for better game conditions for paying members.

In Victoria, following the 2011 duck season where an illegal protester was shot in the face by a shooter[11] and in 2012 when other illegal protesters were charged and prosecuted, regulations were changed to increase public safety. New regulations were adopted in September 2012 and will be in place for the 2013 season.[12] They incorporate what is known as "human safety regulations".

Advocacy of shooter's rights

Field and Game Australia represents members interests with government and legal submissions from time to time.

In 2002 the FGA were represented in the High Court in relation to the Yorta Yorta Native Title claim over areas in the Goulburn and Murray Valleys.[13] The Yorta Yorta claim was over 200,000 km2 (77,000 sq mi) of land. The Yorta Yorta people gave evidence that they traditionally used the land to camp, hunt and fish.[14] FGA opposed the claim for exclusive possession as they also used the land to camp hunt and fish.[15]

In 2005-06, the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council proposed five new national parks (Barmah, Gunbower, Lower Goulburn, Warby-Ovens, Leaghur-Koorangie and a significant addition to Murray-Sunset) and five new regional or other parks. This would have significantly reduced public access to public land currently used for camping, fishing and hunting. The proposal would have restricted boat access to rivers enjoyed by Victorians. VEAC's proposals were based on economic assumptions that were shown to be flawed. FGA engaged consultants to challenge the economic assumptions and VEAC's proposals were subsequently rejected by the Victorian Government.

Members of Field & Game are included in an insurance scheme that provides them with $20 million public liability insurance and gun insurance.

Accomplishments

From 1963 to 1965, the VFGA vigorously opposed a proposal by the Victorian Government to drain the Hird and Johnson Wetlands near Kerang. Subsequent to their political victory, the organisation has worked to preserve these wetlands.

In 1978, the VFGA won the Victorian Conservation Prize for "the defence of Victoria's wetlands, the preservation of wildlife habitat and development of public awareness". The prize is awarded annually to an organisation who has shown outstanding contributions to conservation over the previous five years. The prize was awarded by the Minister for Conservation, but since the 1980s that prize has been replaced by LandCare Awards.[citation needed]

Research by the VFGA in Victoria during 1992-1993 showed that lead levels in Pacific black duck at Lake Buloke had reached internationally recognised levels dangerous to waterfowl (waterfowl mistakenly ingest lead pellets along with gravels as gastroliths needed to aid their digestion of food).[16] This prompted the VFGA to work with government and take a lead role the phase-out of lead shots for waterfowl hunting, which was completed in 2002.[17]

In 2001, FGA founded the Wetland Environmental Taskforce Public Fund (WET) to raise money to protect wetlands.[18] WET has purchased the remaining Heart Morass wetlands from a private farm. Much of the wetland had been already drained to create pastures, and WET's purchase of the Heart Morass will protect it.[19]

References

  1. ^ "Victorian Hunting Organisations – Department of Primary Industries". Dpi.vic.gov.au. 30 October 2012. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Sustainable Hunting – Department of Primary Industries". Dpi.vic.gov.au. 28 December 2011. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Introduction – Department of Primary Industries". Dpi.vic.gov.au. 9 February 2012. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Media Releases:: Award Winning Wildlife Conservation". Aefweb.info. 6 October 2006. Archived from the original on 5 January 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Habitat Conservation Info Report No.1/2011" (PDF). Ramsar.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  6. ^ "New Game Shooters' Association" (PDF). Australian Clay Target Shooting News. Vol. 12, no. 1. Australian Clay Target Association. October 1958. pp. 9–11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Exploring the biodiversity of the UK". UK Wildlife. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  8. ^ "History, Origins & Patrons". fga.net.au. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Sale man prosecuted over water release into Hearts Morass". srw.com.au. 23 June 2009. Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  10. ^ "Water for ducks just isn't fair game". bendigoadvertiser.com.au. 28 December 2009. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  11. ^ "Duck protesters put on notice: FGA". weeklytimesnow.com.au. 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 May 2013.
  12. ^ "Victoria's new game hunting regulations". dpi.vic.gov.au. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012.
  13. ^ Members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria [2002] HCA 58, (2002) 214 CLR 422 "Judgment Summary" (PDF). High Court. 12 December 2002.
  14. ^ Members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria [1998] FCA 1606 at para 123 (18 December 1998), Federal Court (Australia)
  15. ^ Members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria [2002] HCATrans 252 (24 May 2002), High Court
  16. ^ "Lead Shot: Significant New Developments with Relevance to All Hunters". cic-wildlife.org. CIC Wildlife. Archived from the original on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  17. ^ "Why Has the Change Been Made – Department of Primary Industries". dpi.vic.gov.au. 29 August 2011. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  18. ^ "Wetlands Trust | Field and Game Australia". Fga.net.au. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  19. ^ "Heart Morass Restoration Project". wgcma.vic.gov.au. 13 January 2012. Archived from the original on 22 April 2011.
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