By Corina Jordan, NZ Game Animal Council Chief Executive Officer
Since starting with the NZ Game Animal Council (GAC), I’ve been in awe at how professional, dedicated, and committed the hunting sector is to achieving practical outcomes for hunting, game animal management, and conservation in New Zealand.
I want to thank everyone who I have had the privilege of connecting with and look forward to getting to know more of you.
ReWild
The ReWild campaign, originally launched by Fish & Game but keenly supported by the sector, is an invitation to step back into nature, to rediscover the outdoor traditions that have shaped us, and to celebrate the role that hunting and fishing play in looking after our wellbeing, sustaining our communities, and contributing to conservation.
It’s vital that we communicate the value of hunting and game animals to wider New Zealand. This will help bust the myths that are commonly used against hunting, hunters, and the value of game animals to our country. Telling your story will be important to establish social licence for the sector and protect our opportunity to hunt into the future.
At its heart, ReWild is about sharing your story, getting kids off devices and into wild places, reconnecting with their community and learning practical skills. It’s about shaping how the wider community sees us and hunting and ensuring that we’re retaining hunting as an important part of who we are as New Zealanders.
We’re encouraging all hunters to get on board and share their story. Learn more about ReWild and watch the video here.
Herds of Special Interest
The GAC continues to support the Department of Conservation in drafting two Herd of Special Interest (HOSI) herd management plans – sika and wapiti.
Public consultation on the draft herd management plans is scheduled to take place later this year. I encourage you to engage in that consultation process, as it’s a great opportunity to share your support for managing these herds for the value they provide to hunters and wider New Zealand.
We will ensure that any information regarding the public consultation is shared across GAC’s communication channels.
Secondment
You may have seen a recent announcement from the Council confirming its support for a proposal by NZ Fish & Game for me to be seconded as CEO of both Fish & Game and the GAC for a twelve-month period.
This secondment is a formal arrangement between both organisations and aims to enable Fish & Game to progress its legislative change programme, while at the same time strengthening the GACs operations. The GAC’s Principal Advisor Dr Kaylyn Pinney will step into a Chief Operating Officer role and we will engage additional resource to backfill priority policy and project work items.
With the first Herds of Special Interest on the horizon, proposed reforms to other conservation legislation, and the changes to Fish & Game, we have the chance to recognise valued introduced species and embed modern game animal management approaches that will achieve improved outcomes for New Zealand. This secondment is an efficient way to ensure both organisations are well placed to make the most of those opportunities.
I would like to reassure you that my commitment to supporting hunters and anglers remains unchanged. My priority is ensuring your voice is heard and reflected in legislation, so hunting and freshwater angling remain key parts of kiwi life.
Read more about the secondment here.
Let’s stay connected
If you’d like to stay connected with the latest GAC and sector news, make sure you follow the GAC on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. If you’d like to sign up to receive our email newsletter and media statements straight to your inbox, you can do so here.
All the best,
Corina