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LETTER: Possible hunting season for tundra swans saddening

"In the past when word of a crane hunting season was leaked to the general public, the backlash caused the Minister of the day to rescind the proposal."
letter-sta

It was wonderful to see the photograph of the Tundra Swan on the front page of the Dec. 16 Gazette. What saddened me was it reminded me that the current Minister of Environment and Parks, Jason Nixon, is scheming to open a hunting season for these majestic birds. In an interview in Alberta Outdoorsmen magazine, as reported by StAlbertToday.ca (Apr 3, 2020), Nixon said he has tasked his staff to look at a hunting season for Tundra Swans.

Albertans and non-residents can hunt over 30 species of migratory waterfowl here including the harlequin duck, green wing teal, sandhill cranes and Northern pintail, all of which are listed as “Sensitive” under the Species at Risk Listing for Alberta, 2015. Apparently that is not enough.

How will you know whether the 14,511 hunters who bought migratory waterfowl licenses in Alberta in 2018 will be able to add swans to their harvest? Like the consultation process for the recent new sandhill crane hunting season, Nixon won’t ask for your input as one of the four million “owners” of the resource unless you are an “Alberta hunting stakeholder.”

In the past when word of a crane hunting season was leaked to the general public, the backlash caused the Minister of the day to rescind the proposal. Nixon did not make that mistake so if he follows the same script you will be able to read about the swan hunting season after it has been signed into law. Then, like the crane season, Nixon will say the swan season has “widespread support” and will “boost local economies ... providing another opportunity to engage in a pursuit that supports conservation as well as economic activity.” How can you disagree with such solid logic?

I wonder what will be the next lucky bird on Nixon’s “hit list”?

Hugh Wollis, St. Albert

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