Illegal wildlife hunting a problem

Illegal crayfish confiscated by police last year
Illegal crayfish confiscated by police last year

Illegal wildlife hunting in Dominica is apparently still a major headache for forestry officials on the island who pointed out that citizens are “just ignoring the law”.

“Even at this stage of the year, there are still reports of people hunting illegally,” Wildlife Conservation Officer, Ronald Charles said.

He said this continues unabated despite the efforts to protect wildlife on the island. He described the matter as ‘perplexing.’

“They are hunting in various parts of the country during the weekend and some days in the weeks,” he added.

According to Charles, the moratorium on hunting of wild life and fishing for fresh water fishes is still on and it will continue so until the public is so advised.

He said the hunting season will open this year to coincide with the country’s independence celebrations, but “we have to wait on the procedure and processes that have to take place.

Charles said the Forestry Division is very concerned about the illegal exportation of wildlife.

“There are still reports about people still attempting to leave the country with wildlife, more specifically crayfish and crabs. It means that they have been hunting during the closed season,” he said.

He said anyone found guilty will be embarrassed and charged.

“We want to remind travelers that they will be embarrassed, they will be taken off the boat, taken off the plane, taken to a police cell, arrested and charged and taken before the court. They can avoid that embarrassment by observing the laws of the country and doing what is right,” he said.

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40 Comments

  1. natureboy
    October 7, 2014

    absolutely no exceptions period!!!!!!!!!!!! yesssss arrest and throw the culprits in jail. Take the spoils and give them to some poor folks. Dominicans would not do this in the US and anywhere else, so why do it back home where you should be proud to have such a privilege to hunt for free in the first place. Educate yourselves folks!!!!?

  2. Anonymous
    October 7, 2013

    :-P :-P :-? :-| :lol: 8-O :( :wink: :-D :)

  3. September 3, 2013

    we should not support hunting,thats out of huntingseason :(

  4. i need 2no.seriously
    September 3, 2013

    but officer, what alyou just do with it nah when alyou take it away from the “perpetrators” do you give it back to the persons that you charge so that they can cook it so that it dont go to waste after all? do you throw it back into the river?which would be silly cause they are already dead.do you keep it and cook it for yourselves?which would make you part of the crime. if so you should be punished too.really what do you do with it?

  5. September 3, 2013

    so many comments about people hungry if people are hungry why go sell it? why not feed the hungry?

  6. Black Pearl
    September 3, 2013

    Though stiffer penalties can be a deterrent, the Wildlife Division needs to be innovative and initiate a programme of “wildlife farming” in order to meet the growing demand for wild meat thereby reducing the pressure on wild stocks.

  7. tiny
    September 3, 2013

    A police once said it is illigal to catch wild life but god will punish him is the throw it away. So now we now wat they do when they get them.

  8. Anonymous
    September 3, 2013

    conserving our wild life is all good but stryka you forget our prime minister said no law no constitution can stop him even when he knew he was wrong? what about the time when harris paints drop whatever in the canefeild river and all those big coco die what action was taken against that multi milion dollar company,and does’nt mr Ronald charles know about the situation in the loubier river where all the fishes dieing, why they not embarassing the owners of the kubuli beer factory? they are the one’s who can pay a fine easily not only that when a person fish in the river there catch is limited and utilised but when those big companies drop whatever chemicals i the water the destruction is wholesale and cannot be utilised. what’s up with you people is only poor dominicans who have to pay? i am not condoning illigal hunting but punishment should not be for one set. any person or persons resoonsible for the destruction of wildlife should pay. more so for those big companys who carelessly dump there chemicals in the rivers. stop the double standard law is law enforce it on all not on some.

  9. .
    September 3, 2013

    No more eating crayfish in the porch. All contraband have to stay inside !!!. Hate embarrassment.

  10. on the run
    September 3, 2013

    I hope when they charge you 5000.00 you will not say any thing

  11. hard core dcan
    September 3, 2013

    so what about those farmers that dont even go town, all they no is plant and hunt. they live of the land.
    when the officer in there bed those people cover half of the forest.

  12. long snake
    September 3, 2013

    Forestry needs to have the fee increased for Illegal hunting $400ec is nothing for such crime. And what happen to the chines that pouring chemical in the river to catch crayfish? They were released. The law is not for Dominicans only

  13. September 2, 2013

    My Dominican people, most of you won’t know that we had deers in Dominica, but we ate them all. So be smart ,Don’t eat all the wildlife.

  14. me
    September 2, 2013

    I getting all my meat from ‘de bush’

  15. Justice and Truth
    September 2, 2013

    The Law is the Law. Why do they defy the Law and take chances? If caught, they will bear the consequences of their action.

  16. September 2, 2013

    joker statement. but then again…….what can you expect. forestry official are only talkers……………or are there still forestry officers in dominica?

    alas, gone were the days when officers in law meant something. ppl don’t respect allu mr. Charles. guess why?

  17. straight.
    September 2, 2013

    People damn hungry so what u expect them to do? and by the way, u confiscating the crayfish is even worse than the person who caught them cuz allu ganna get rid of them when the hungry man can use them to feed his family. Whose wrong who in this case? kinda ironic isnt it?

  18. September 2, 2013

    chicken too expensive,talk to your business people,dominicans eat ,don’t worry with them, they destroy the natural herd to buy meat for the my family so no choice I need meat to eat,government is for all them self.wicked people.

  19. contact
    September 2, 2013

    is the law only for black people nmr charles? eat your words.

  20. contact
    September 2, 2013

    did you embarass and charge the chinese?

  21. oversea
    September 2, 2013

    my question is what happens to them once confiscated? are they thrown away?

  22. bobo jay
    September 2, 2013

    its ezzy to catch 2 little crayfish but not the million dollar drugs coming in hmmmmm interesting

  23. happy
    September 2, 2013

    But the person that had all dem crawfish in d plastic dere wicked eh…

  24. forkit
    September 2, 2013

    this problem is caused by the lack of jobs and the inability of that lazy clueless government to creat the opportunity for putting the idle to work

    courts need to be paid , school books, marpin, domlec, lime, digicel, food, gas…and the list goes on..

  25. T mama
    September 2, 2013

    people HUNGRY….

  26. John Paul
    September 2, 2013

    Mr Charles talk to your PM to raise the fines so that law breakers will feel it in the pocket .Belly aching here about embarassing them will not work!
    18 to 3 I dont think the Opposition will object!Go to Parliament and get it done before we replace them

  27. Anonymous
    September 2, 2013

    The French eat all the donkeys, there is only one donkey left in pte Michel, and it is nice to wake up to a donkey bray.

    • Me again
      September 2, 2013

      Really? I didn’t notice that nor.

    • Justice and Truth
      September 2, 2013

      Are you sure they did not die of a disease or ran away or were stolen? :lol: :lol: :lol:

  28. Anonymous
    September 2, 2013

    We have lost the frogs our national dish, we lost the pussium, [ manikoo], the mountain crabs are being shipped to Martinique , ant the other caribean Island what have we got left to steal , and shipped Dominicans? please preserved your culture stop shipping the national treasures, ship out mangoes and saboca

    • happy
      September 2, 2013

      Soo much manicou it have around… u must be living in roseau!!!

  29. ted
    September 2, 2013

    is this the only LAW DOMINICA has…??
    come on.. give people a break..

  30. 4eyes
    September 2, 2013

    “they will be taken off the boat, taken off the plane, taken to a police cell, arrested and charged and taken before the court

    I know it is a serious thing, but the way it is said makes me :-D

  31. kid
    September 2, 2013

    no sense,when the chinese catching it all you don’t say anything but is the black people all you want to punish.Embarassment still won’t stop that when people in high offices eating it too.

    • happy
      September 2, 2013

      Is true!!!! Up till noenottin doe happen to the chineese that poison the laplaine river and kill all thr crawfish!!!!

  32. Bushman
    September 2, 2013

    We in September,just open the season like you used to before and it will be legal.We know there is an open and closed season so open it til December and we will be happy.We will then be hunting legally.

    • Justice and Truth
      September 2, 2013

      And as much as you want. Take advantage of this legal opportunity.

    • Anonymous
      September 2, 2013

      There are still crabs with eggs walking on the road. Just give them a chance to multiply.

  33. Me again
    September 2, 2013

    Please save some crayfish and guttie for my grand children. Great job Mr. Charles. Don’t let our precious wildlife become extinct.

  34. Stryka
    September 2, 2013

    the fine should be Minimum $5000. or 2 yrs prison sentence.If it is a repeated offender of the same crime fine and confined for 5 yrs.Time we get serious with these illegal hunting thing.

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