By Trudy Simpson, Freelance WriterTHE NATIONAL Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has issued a stern warning to bird shooters, following the recent arrests of Daryl Vaz, vice-chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) East Portland constituency, and his 13-year-old son for bird-shooting breaches.
"While in the field, each hunter MUST have in his or her possession, his/her gun licence and a valid Bird Hunter's Permit issued through NEPA. It is illegal for a minor to hold or use a gun without a firearm license or user's permit," the environmental regulatory body stressed in a statement yesterday.
Mr. Vaz and his son are the first arrests for the current bird-shooting season, which began on August 21, 2004 and ends on September 26, 2004.
MAXIMUM PENALTY
The 13-year-old was caught shooting birds without a hunter's licence and without a firearm licence or user's permit on August 28 in Grange Hill, Portland. Father and son appeared in Court on Tuesday when Mr. Daryl Vaz, a licensed bird shooter, was given the maximum penalty under the law and was fined $100,000 for aiding and abetting hunting without a hunter's licence. His son was fined $50,000 for hunting without a hunter's licence, or would face three months in jail if the fine was not paid.
This is the second time a teenager and his father have been fined for breaches. The last case happened in 1997.
NEPA reminds hunters that the prescribed times for hunters are Saturdays, from sunrise to 9:00 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to sunset. On Sunday, they are allowed to shoot birds from sunrise to 9:00 a.m.
The regulatory body also warned that hunters should stick to prescribed bag limits and that they can shoot only the four types of birds approved by NEPA. These are the Pea Dove (Zenaida aurita), the White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica), Bald-pate (Columba Leucocephala) and Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura).
Environmental officials state that hunters can only bag 20 birds at each shoot for three approved species. For the fourth, the Bald-pate, no more than 15 may be taken in any shoot. According to NEPA, overshooting is an offence under the Wild Life Protection Act. The agency warned that hunting birds without a permit is a breach of this Act and carries a maximum penalty of $100,000 and or 12 months in prison. The Act also prohibits the use of a trap to catch, or the use of a sling-shot to shoot birds.
