Six arrested, charged on first day of bird hunting season

Six bird hunters were arrested and charged for breaches of the Wild Life Protection Act on the first day of the 2018 bird hunting season.

The six were arrested yesterday after they were seen hunting in a protected bird sanctuary in Elim, St Elizabeth.

According to reports, members of a National Environmental Planning Agency (NEPA) enforcement team along with police from St Elizabeth were carrying out patrol when the six were seen in the protected area.

They were taken to the Santa Cruz police station where they were all processed and offered station bail. The birds which they had in their possession were also seized by the NEPA enforcement officers.

Under the Wildlife Protection Act, if anyone is found to be in breach of the Act they could be fined a maximum of $100,000 and/or one year imprisonment