Authorities step up monitoring for bird-shooting season

WESTERN BUREAU:

Bird hunters who breach Jamaica’s tightened 2026 shooting regulations could face fines of up to $3 million as authorities step up field monitoring and increase the use of an electronic system to track ammunition purchases.

The warning comes as the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), and the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) enforce regulations for a shortened five-week season, which opened on Saturday and runs until September 20.

Kimberley Myrie-Essor, director of legal services, NEPA, outlining the legislation, fines and penalties governing the season, warned that breaches including exceeding the prescribed bag limit and hunting in restricted areas could attract a maximum fine of $3 million or three years’ imprisonment in default of payment.

The same maximum penalty applies to hunting outside legally designated shooting days and to breaches of special restricted-area regulations introduced for the hurricane-affected west. Hunting is permitted on Saturdays from sunrise to 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to sunset, and on Sundays from sunrise to 9 a.m.

New rules

The new rules are particularly stringent in Trelawny, St James, Hanover, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth, where Hurricane Melissa caused extensive damage to bird habitats.

No white-crowned pigeons, commonly called bald pates, may be shot in those five parishes, while hunting of the other three permitted game birds is restricted to approved baited fields outside designated no-hunting areas.

Four areas, South St James, East Westmoreland, northwest St Elizabeth and sections of southwest St Elizabeth, have been designated no-hunting zones. NEPA said detailed maps will be provided to assist hunters in identifying the boundaries.

Hunters wishing to operate baited fields in the five western parishes must apply to NEPA for approval.

Myrie-Essor said applicants will be required to provide proof of ownership, including a copy of the registered title. Where the person registering the field is not the owner, authorisation from the owner or lessee and the relevant supporting documents will be required.

NEPA said knowing the location of the fields will assist with monitoring and help prevent shooting within prohibited areas.

Senior Superintendent of Police Oral Pascoe, who heads the JCF’s Agricultural Protection Branch, said police will conduct field checks across the island to ensure hunters are properly licensed and complying with designated shooting periods, bag limits and protected areas.

He said the police will also work with NEPA enforcement personnel and local game wardens in inter-agency operations, with violators facing prosecution.

Pascoe stressed that the objective was not to criminalise hunters, but to protect the environment and ensure compliance with the Wildlife Protection Act and other regulations.

The increased enforcement comes as NEPA reduces the normal bag limit from 20 to 15 birds per shooting session and cuts the season from six weekends to five.

Ammunition management

Meanwhile, the FLA is ramping up use of its cloud-based ammunition management system for the bird-shooting season.

FLA Corporate Communications Officer Cait-Amoi Goulbourne said all ammunition purchases for the season will be processed through the platform, giving the authority more timely information on transactions and strengthening the traceability and accountability of ammunition.

Under the procedure, hunters will initiate ammunition transactions electronically using the email address registered with the FLA.

They will receive a code before visiting an ammunition dealer to complete the transaction and collect the rounds.

Significantly, hunters will also be required to declare how much bird-shooting ammunition they already have in their possession before initiating a new transaction.

Goulbourne said hunters are allowed up to 2,000 rounds per shotgun for the season and reminded them that ammunition purchased for bird shooting is subject to the FLA’s rules governing seasonal ammunition.

Only the primary firearm licence holder may purchase the ammunition. Persons authorised to use the firearm under a secondary certificate or permit cannot purchase the rounds themselves.

The FLA also reminded hunters that anyone using another person’s shotgun must have the appropriate authorisation.

Persons aged 21 and older who do not hold the firearm user’s licence for the shotgun require a firearm user’s secondary certificate, while those between 12 and 20 require a firearm user’s permit.

Goulbourne warned that contravening the terms and conditions of a firearm licence can attract a fine of up to $1 million or imprisonment for up to six months. Failure to properly secure a firearm and ammunition carries even heavier consequences, a fine of up to $5 million or imprisonment for up to five years.

Hunters were also warned against consuming alcohol or drugs while handling firearms and urged to ensure that their licences and certificates are current before entering the field.

The FLA said the ammunition platform is intended to improve regulatory oversight during one of the most restrictive bird-shooting seasons in recent years.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com