The 2006 bird shooting season is set to begin next Saturday and will end on September 24.

Dean Peart, Minister of Local Government and Environment, has signed an order declaring the season open for six weekends and for a $1,000 increase in the cost of a hunter's licence.

During the season, hunting is allowed on Saturdays, sunrise to 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to sunset, and on Sunday mornings from sunrise to 9:00 a.m.

The bag limit of a total of 20 birds at each shoot, except for the Baldpate, of which no more than 15 may be taken in any one shoot.

FAIR GAME

Only four birds may be shot: the Pea Dove (Zenaida aurita), the White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica), Baldpate (Columba Leucocephala) and Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura).

The increase in the cost of the hunter's licence from $7,000 to $8,000 is intended to offset the costs associated with increased monitoring and surveillance during and outside the season, as well as the annual bird population survey.

REQUIREMENTS FOR 2006 SEASON

Each hunter must ensure that he or she has a valid firearm's licence and a hunter's licence from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).

Hunters are reminded that shooting is prohibi-ted inside the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, Game and Forests Reserves.

The sale of hunter's licences begins August 8. All persons who received a hunter's licence for the 2005 bird shooting season must submit their hunter's game bird shooting report form to NEPA. A processing fee of $5,000 applies in cases of late submissions.