Field & Game Australia applauds Fishing and Boating Minister Jaala Pulford’s support of the bushfire recovery with her call to recreational fishers to return to regional communities.
Ms Pulford recognised the economic impact recreational fishing plays in regional communities – supporting more than 3800 jobs and bringing in more than $600 million annually to Gippsland and north east areas – and said it could play in an integral part in the recovery process.
“We want to get people back to East Gippsland and the north east with family and friends, spending money and helping local communities get back on their feet,” she said.
FGA chief executive Dean O’Hara echoed this call and said sustainable hunting could further that economic support to regional communities.
“It has been stated many times before – the fact is regional economies need a boost after the recent fires and as a state we should be doing all we can to support the recovery effort,” he said.
“Let sustainable hunters do our part in rebuilding these communities.
“There is all this talk of how we can help each other and those affected by the fires recover, sustainable hunting is a huge part of that conversation.
“Recreational duck hunting is a sustainable and highly popular pastime, delivering an array of regional economic and social benefits."
Mr O’Hara said it is time for an announcement to be made.
“This is not just effecting hunters, but impacting regional areas as well,” he said.
He said there was a run on effect from government to hunter to rural communities.
“(Hunting) is not just a pick up and go situation – people need to book leave, accommodation, organise trips – by limiting the time in which they can do this, it’s restricting the security of cash flow to regional communities,” Mr O’Hara said.
