Toxic ducks prompt fears of 'Russian roulette' for hunters

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Toxic ducks prompt fears of 'Russian roulette' for hunters

By Farrah Tomazin and Sumeyya Ilanbey

The Andrews government is under pressure to cancel this year’s duck hunting season after some birds were found to be contaminated with the same chemical that delayed construction on the West Gate Tunnel.

An investigation by the Environment Protection Authority recently discovered risky concentrations of PFAS in waterbirds from several Victorian wetlands, prompting claims by animal activists that opening the season would be akin to playing “Russian roulette” with people's safety.

A chemical used in household products and firefighting foam has been found in some wild ducks.

A chemical used in household products and firefighting foam has been found in some wild ducks. Credit: Craig Sillitoe

In a report published last year, the EPA issued restrictions on the consumption of birds from at least four wetlands: Macleod Morass in Bairnsdale, Hospital Swamp on the Bellarine Peninsula, and Heart Morass and Dowd Morass in East Sale.

“EPA also recommends that people should exercise caution when consuming waterfowl hunted from wetlands close to those with current health advisories, as waterfowl can move freely between wetlands,” the report adds.

PFAS is a hazardous chemical used in household products and firefighting foam. It is the same chemical that shut down the Fiskville CFA training college, and more recently was one of the chemicals - along with asbestos - found in the soil on the site of the West Gate Tunnel project, leading to delays in its construction.

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But its presence in waterbirds is contentious for the government, which has been facing calls from within Labor ranks for a ban.

An announcement about the length of season is usually made in January, giving certainty to thousands of duck hunters and the towns that rely on the economic activity generated by the sport.

But this year’s season could be in doubt after a prolonged drought decimated waterbird numbers and the bushfires killed more than 1 billion native animals.

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Animal welfare advocates seized on the EPA’s report to urge the government to halt the 2020 season.

“If a duck shooting season was to proceed, the Victorian government would be playing Russian roulette with shooters' safety,” Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick said. “Birds are a migratory species - there is no way to isolate cases of PFAS to specific wetlands.”

Recreational shooters are wanting certainty over duck hunting.

Recreational shooters are wanting certainty over duck hunting. Credit: Craig Sillitoe

However, the Victorian Nationals leader and agriculture spokesman, Peter Walsh, said there were hundreds of wetlands across the state and concerns over four areas were “not a logical reason” to cancel the season.

“I think duck shooters would have read the advice and they would make sensible decisions,” Mr Walsh said. “I don’t think it’s the role of government to be that prescriptive about people’s hunting and consumption of ducks.”

The EPA’s investigation began in 2018, targeting four common waterfowl species – Pacific black ducks, pink-eared ducks, chestnut teal and grey teal – and found “variable PFAS concentrations” in the bird samples.

This led to a warning for children to limit consumption of breast meat to one 75 gram serve per month if it came from the Macleod Morass and Hospital Swamp wetlands, “and adults and children should not eat liver” from those sites. The EPA warned that “waterfowl should not be eaten” if taken from Heart Morass and Dowd Morass wetlands in Sale.

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The EPA also added that while there was no “consistent evidence” that PFAS was harmful to human health, it is “recommended as a precaution” that human exposure to the chemicals be minimised.

Coalition Against Duck Shooting spokesman Laurie Levy said that given “PFAS contaminated soil brought construction work on the billion dollar West Gate Tunnel to an immediate halt” it would be better for the government to be “safe than sorry”.

A spokeswoman for Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said: “Advice on a 2020 duck season will be released in due course, and it will be based on department advice.”

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