Media Release Media Release Media Release

January 18th, 2006

Statewide Protest at Shearwater Slaughter

With chicks due to hatch today, activists demand an end to recreational “muttonbirding”

When: 12.30 – 1.30pm, Thursday January 19th.
Where: Outside Service Tasmania outlets in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Ulverstone.

Animal advocates from around Tasmania will tomorrow be holding a multi-city protest at the slaughter of short-tailed shearwaters (muttonbirds) during the recreational “muttonbirding” season, which will take place between March 25 and April 9 this year. The protest coincides with the time that the shearwater chicks are hatching, which happens at the same time every year.

For a fee of just $23, an amateur “muttonbirder” can kill up to 25 chicks a day over 16 days for personal use; a total of some 400 birds per person. With 1056 licences issued in 2005, this allows over 422 000 chicks to be killed during the 16 day recreational season, with another 200 000 chicks able to be killed as part of the commercial season. Unknown numbers of birds are poached outside of the season and in protected rookeries.

According to AACT coordinator Yvette Watt:
“The massive numbers of these birds that are slaughtered for fun by these amateurs is of great concern. There is shocking suffering caused to the chicks by people who do not know how to kill them properly, as well as by those who haul the chicks out of their burrows using sharpened hooks. While this is prohibited, it is know to be a common practice.”

Short-tailed shearwaters are migratory birds who travel a 30 000km round trip to the northern hemisphere each year. Tasmania is the only state in Australia that allows them to be killed.

Long term shearwater campaigner, Barry Hebbard states:
“Apart from the terrible suffering inflicted on the chicks, there is also great concern for the ongoing survival of the species due to the huge numbers of birds that are taken both legally and illegally. Additionally, enormous damage is done to the fragile rookeries by amateur “muttonbirders” trampling over the nesting burrows in order to find and kill the chicks.”

With poaching rife and many more birds also drowning in fishing nets and being killed by feral animals, shearwater numbers could easily plummet very quickly. The Tasmanian and/or Federal Governments must act immediately to end this terrible and totally unjustifiable slaughter of these extraordinary birds before we lose them forever.” concluded Mr Hebbard.

For further information contact AACT