Resident P.E.I. geese being decimated

P.E.I.’s population of resident geese, the ones born on P.E.I., have been reduced to 1,000 pairs from 2,100 according to Canadian Wildlife Service survey figures obtained from a goose and duck survey done on April 29, 2016.

It gives rise to the question of how low do these numbers have to go before the attack against resident wild geese discontinued?

An eight-bird kill limit per hunter, per day was set in 2013 when these birds were targeted by CWS hunting regulations, approved in consultation with provinces, including the P.E.I. Wildlife Division.

And now, after four hunting seasons in mid-September, the numbers of Island-born geese are down by 50 per cent.

This effort to practically kill off this population of resident geese because of crop-depredation problems that P.E.I. doesn’t have (but exist in some other provinces) is an injustice to these birds enjoyed by many Islanders for reasons other than hunting.

The incidental problems a few Island farmers may have can be addressed by special permit issued by CWS. There have only been three such permits issued in the last four years; therefore, no need for this separate season to declare war on a total resident goose population. And besides this, Island geese are also being shot along with migrants in the regular hunting season Oct. 1 – Dec. 31.

We do not need a separate season to eliminate these wild geese. The maintenance of wildlife takes precedence over its use - that’s the philosophy of Canada’s environment ministers birds 1982.

It needs to be applied today to save what we have left of Island-born wild geese, which cannot defend themselves.

They deserve to be sustained at higher numbers, not victimized by more killing opportunity.