Estimating the Economic Impact of unting in A new era fo r gam e in 2013 management in Victoria

he Sporting Shooters Association of (Vic) weloomes the release by the Victorian Government of a new study that estimates the economic impact of hunting A new statutory authority has by Victorian game license holders. The report, Estimating been created to regulate game the Economic Impact of Hunting In Victoria in 2013 , estimTates that ttle total economic impact of game & pest animal hunting in Victoria and provide 1'\unting by game licence holders in 2013 was $439 million, (3,480 better services for the state's ful' time job equivalents) and 60% of hunting expenditure occurs in ~ion al Victoria. 46,000 licensed game hunters. SSAA (Vic) Hunting and Conservation Advisor Colin Wood said that hunting was one of Victoria's biggest tourist activities. The Game Management Authority The Victorian Coalition Government has recognised the valuable contribution the hunting community makes to the conservation, (GMA) has a strong focus on economic and ~clal well-being of Victoria and passed legislation promoting responsible and earlier this year to establish a statutory Game Management Authority which commenced work on July 1. This report provides robust data sustainable game hunting. to inform policy and hunting management direction for the new Authority. It is responsible for administ rative Other important points from the report include: • 11 regional Victorian towns receive hunting expenditure in excess services including licensing as well of $5 million as education, compliance and • Of the non-metropolitan local Government Areas (LGA's) the e~ expenditures occurred at Wellington ($28.Sm), Latrobe enforcement act ivit ies. \s:8.5m), Saw Baw ($16.Sm), Greater ($16.Sm) and ~"'Sfie'd ($14.6m) The GMA will work wit h public • .:...."""% of game hunting spending occurs in • - : .3% of respondents have post - school qualifications land managers and provide • s:.5% of respondents are married with children recommendations to t he Victorian cr..ar':M!I 7 news gave an interesting twist to t he report by the following comparisons: Government to delive:r better public • H...nting generates more revenue than speed cameras. land, pest management and broader • :-:ting is on tracl< to overtake the Spring Racing Carnival ~ V-ICtDria's biggest revenue earner. game management outcomes. • Haating revenue of $439 million far outstrips the AllStrilllan Open ($238 million), t he British Lions Tour ($80 Game licences issued previously --~. ~nd t h e Grand Prix ($40 million). See press re'ease in this edition of Vic Shooter. The full report can be from Game Victoria continue to ~on -'e DEPI website. be va lid, and licence conditions

~- -· of hunting remain unchanged. Prior" to .re ~se of the DEPI report CSIRO Wildlife Research ~ a ~ titled Expenditure and motivation of Australian For information on gam e hunting in eceatllJlia J'lters. The report was based on an online survey that ask.ea :'U".ters aoout their hunting patterns, expenditure on hunting Victoria, including getting a license and ttietr f!"lOt: ratJor> to hunt. 7202 hunters participated in the study and knowing when and where to whictl ttaS caMed out by the University of Queensland. Respondents were from VICtoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The report hunt, visit www.gma.vic.gov.au concluded "There are likely to be at least 200 000 and more likely 300 000 recreational hunters in Australia and they spend in excess of A$1 billion dollars annually on hunting." The full report can be found at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/WR13171.htm

www.ssaavic.co11.au