The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources.
Mr. Speaker, our outdoor heritage is a source of pride and enjoyment for many of us. To increase accessibility, our government has made progressive changes to expand hunting opportunities for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
By lowering the hunting age from 18 to 16 for big game, and 16 to 12 for small game, we bring youth closer to the resource while they learn valuable life and conservation lessons from adult mentors.
We improved access to hunting for people with disabilities by amending the designated hunter regulations. We adjusted the big game licence draw so people can apply earlier. I remind everyone that the deadline for submitting big game licence draw applications is tomorrow, March 29, at 4:30 p.m. Eligible hunters are encouraged to return completed applications to the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, or apply online, which provides immediate confirmation that the application has been received and is the quickest way to apply.
Mr. Speaker, we are on target to print and mail notices to successful applicants by early May.
We are also ensuring big game harvests continue to be available to community groups. This year, a letter from the executive of the community group in question is required before a licence will be issued, ensuring the integrity of each application and increasing our focus on conservation.
The 2018-19 Hunting and Trapping Guide is available online and can be viewed on mobile devices. Details of the changes and information on regulations and safe hunting practices are available with the click of a button.
Mr. Speaker, being able to spend time outdoors – whether in solitude, or with family and friends, passing on the enjoyment, the life skills of hunting and trapping, and sharing our common outdoor heritage, is very important to us all. I even believe it’s what defines us as to who we are as a people.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.