Director of Forestry in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fitzgerald Providence said the hunting season for Mammals, Reptiles and Birds opened on October 1st with a number of changes.
He made this statement during an interview with NBC Radio News.
Providence said over the years the country has been significantly affected by a number of weather systems with the most recent being Hurricane Beryl.
He said the explosive eruption of La Soufriere volcano in 2021 also had significant negative impacts on the partially protected species and they want these animal populations to replenish.
Speaking on NBC Radio yesterday, 2nd October. Mr. Providence said that the "Hunting season which began on 1st October, 2024, usually runs for reptiles, birds and mammals until the 31st January for birds and then the last of February for the reptiles and mammals. However, for the last number of years we had to make changes due to the impact of weather systems and also the volcano and this year we have had the impact of hurricane Beryl on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and specifically the Grenadines."
Providence said the Hunting season will only be open for hunters on mainland Saint Vincent and remain closed for the Grenadines and shortened to run until December 31st.
He also disclosed "though we are having the hunting season shortened as usually on mainland from 1st October to the 31st December, the reasons for this is because of the impact of the hurricanes as well the island is still recovering from the volcano and the impacts of these heavy weather systems and we know that we are going through a period of a lot of heat and less rainfall which would impact on the reproduction of the animals, so we want to protect these species so that they be sustained in terms being available for hunting. In terms of the Grenadines we see the impact of the Hurricane Beryl on both the human settlement and also the natural environment in the Grenadines, so there would not be a hunting season in the Grenadines because of this."
SOURCE: National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC Radio)