Is Australian wildlife fair game?

Box 2 | Principles relevant to the harvesting of native species

In its submission to the Federal Parliamentary Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee inquiry into the commercial use of native species in 1998, Environment Australia listed the following series of principles relevant to the wild harvesting of native species:

  • there must be a legislative framework within which commercial harvesting can be regulated, new commercial harvests approved and access rights determined;

  • there should be a basic level of knowledge and understanding of the biology of any species which is to be utilised commercially;

  • commercial use of a species should contribute to an increase in the knowledge and understanding of the species involved, and the possible impacts of the harvesting on that species, as well as non-target species;

  • where animals are to be caught or killed, they should be subjected to the least amount of suffering possible;

  • where appropriate, there should be independent monitoring and assessment of the impact of commercial activity on the species concerned, non-target species, and ecosystems;

  • management should provide for an adaptive response to evidence of unacceptable changes;

  • management should include provision for an ecosystem approach;

  • management of harvested species should be integrated with other conservation actions at the regional level of resolution to ensure conservation of biological diversity;

  • risk assessment and environmental uncertainty should be factored into the management regime, with a safety margin being incorporated particularly where harvest quotas are set;

  • waste should be minimised; and

  • there must be transparency in decision making and public accountability for management actions, with periodic public review.

To the same committee, Dr Brian Walker, the Chief of CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, proposed a set of basic principles for ensuring sustainable use of wildlife. These were:

  1. Know the animal
    Wildlife being considered for commercial use must be assessed on a case by case basis. Information about the species should include its distribution, abundance, and demography.

  2. Over-harvesting should be difficult
    There is a high risk of over-harvesting rare, high-value species and, conversely, a low risk of over-harvesting a low-value, abundant species.

  3. Harvest conservatively
    Because wild populations may vary dramatically in numbers according to season, legal harvesting should be set at levels well below the scientifically calculated off-take rate and any increase in this rate should only be allowed after years of experience of the particular harvested population.

  4. Effective monitoring and enforcement is essential
    A well-conceived commercial program can fail if inadequate resources are dedicated to monitoring population stability and enforcing legal harvesting rates.

  5. Non-target species are rarely taken
    There should be a low risk of 'by-catch' of non-target species.

  6. Local communities should benefit
    Local community participation and benefit from wildlife harvesting is important. When only a few dealers and exporters gain most of the benefit, sustainable harvesting is difficult to maintain. When people who live with wildlife gain from it, there are reasons to look after it.

Box
Box 1. Kangaroo counting

Related sites
Wild harvest of native species (Environment Australia)
Position statement on the sustainable commercial use of wildlife (Australasian Wildlife Management Society)

External sites are not endorsed by the Australian Academy of Science.
Page updated February 2003.