Hi All,
Regarding the shooters at the Western Treatment Plant apparently the official
rule, as Peter Fuller and others mentioned, is that they can shoot as long as
they are within 30 metres of the high tide mark and that they shoot out to sea.
The 3 shooters I saw there on Saturday did not arrive by boat, they parked at
the Beach Road boat ramp car park and walked down. The police officer, a Senior
Constable, who attended did not appear to be turning a blind eye although as
the shooters had permits she was reluctant to remove them unless I could prove
that they were not allowed to be there. I did make a few phone calls and one
guy from Melbourne Water explained the 30 metre rule to us. Technically they
were trespassing and causing extensive damage to the vegetation in the
construction of their hides. If they were shooting overhead and swung toward
the road, following a duck, a passing birder would cop the full brunt of shot
from 3 metres. There is a sign on the Beach Road Gate in red letters saying No
Shooting. It seems ridiculous when all they have to do is walk a few metres and
they can shoot freely. Surely an exception to the rules can be made for the
Western Treatment Plant. In regard to the Orange-bellied Parrots, they frequent
and often fly past the exact area where these guys were shooting. Imagine the
up roar if one of these precious parrots was found to be shot. The parrots
alone should be reason enough to ban shooters from shooting anywhere along to
coast from Geelong to Point Cook. Where is Minister Ian Campbell when we need
him!
Cheers Paul
Paul Hackett
Melbourne
Australia
0414355146
==============================www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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