A decision to halt the aerial shooting of deer, pigs, wild dogs, horses and other feral animals in national parks across the state has been condemned by environmental groups.
Invasive Species Council advocacy manager Jack Gough revealed the ban came into effect on September 16 after a caller to a Sydney radio station made a claim earlier in the month about unsafe aerial culling in the Kosciuszko National Park.
Mr Gough said previously it was thought the ban only applied to the park, so it came as a surprise to find out the ban was statewide.
"Very alarming, in terms of the explosion of pest animals that we are seeing at the moment with the wet weather," he said today.
"But also, we know for farmers that foot-and-mouth disease preparedness is a big deal at the moment and deer and pigs are one of the major spreaders if that disease reaches our shores."
"We are calling on the government to end this ban immediately."
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MLC Mark Banasiak supports a review of aerial shooting for feral animals in national parks but only found out about the six-week-old ban this morning.
"We hear concerns from farmers regularly about I guess what could be described as a cavalier attitude around shooting or flying over their properties and shooting," he said.
"So, I would say this is not necessarily an isolated incident."
"I think it highlights our party's long held concerns about the safety and humaneness of shooting from helicopters versus ground shooting.
"I would suggest that the government obviously has to do this safety review but in the meantime why can't they maintain their ground shooting activities?"
Claims media influenced policy
South coast-based NSW Independent Justin Field believes a scare campaign from a "noisy bunch" opposed to aerial culling of feral horses has influenced the government.
"There has been a right-wing radio push against this in Sydney and the government has gone scared, and it's really going to impact farmers and our environment," he said.
"The government should reverse it — it's crazy policy."
Farmers in the state's south-east have also come out against the ban, based partly on an increase in wild dog attacks on sheep.
Robert Ingram, a wool producer and wild dog management group coordinator at Delegate, wants the issue resolved as quickly as possible.
"A farm at the western edge of our group lost 10 crossbred lambs last week," Mr Ingram said.
"The problem at the moment is being exacerbated by the fact the trappers have had to stop all feral animal control, because of this embargo on shooting in the parks."
"The impact of that decision is that pest animal controllers are not allowed to use guns in the park."
Environment Minister James Griffin says has been a short pause in feral animal shooting operations while a review into public safety is conducted, but he expects it to resume "very soon".
"Other feral animal control methods such as trapping and baiting are continuing as usual as part of the largest ever feral animal control program being carried out by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service," he said.
Ban to be lifted
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) said in a statement that it would always prioritise public safety.
"After an allegation in relation to an incident involving the aerial shooting of deer, a review is being conducted to ensure the NPWS feral animal control program is carried out with the highest safety standards," a spokesperson said.
"The completion of the review is imminent and feral animal shooting operations are expected to recommence with even stronger safety protocols within the next week."
