Released 02/01/2017
The ACT Government has declared the European Red Fox, the European Wasp and certain exotic fish species to be prohibited pest animals in the ACT, Minister for the Environment and Heritage Mick Gentleman said today.
“From today, it is prohibited to supply or keep the European Red Fox and European Wasp,” Minister Gentleman said.
“Anyone already keeping exotic fish species that have become prohibited now has a legal responsibility to prevent them escaping into the wild and cannot sell them.
“Declaring pest animals as prohibited reduces the risk the animals will escape, or be released, and establish wild populations or spread in the ACT or other Australian states.
“This is important because the European Red Fox preys on native fauna and livestock such as lambs. Likewise, when exotic fish populations establish in waterways, they can impact on native aquatic plants and animals, water quality and social amenity such as recreational fishing,” Minister Gentleman said.
Most of the newly prohibited exotic fish species are on the National Noxious Fish List, but the ACT has also prohibited the Redfin Perch to discourage its transfer into uninfested waterways in the ACT.
As part of the declaration, all wild deer have been declared as pest animals. However, people are not prohibited from supplying or keeping them. Anyone wanting to keep deer as pets or livestock needs to apply for a nature conservation licence.
The Government has the authority to develop a pest animal management plan for each declared species that can outline requirements for managing their environmental and agricultural impacts in a cost-effective way.
“These declarations follow consultation with the community, which helped to inform the declaration process.
“The consultation included the possibility of declaring wild cats as pests. However, wild cats will not be declared as pest animals at this time because of community concern about distinguishing them from domestic cats.
“I would like to thank everyone who made a submission on the proposed amendments to the pest animals declaration,” Minister Gentleman concluded.
- Statement ends -
Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases