SAINTE-FOY, March 30, 2006 -
Environment Canada has confirmed that there will
be a spring conservation harvest of the Greater
Snow Goose in 2006. As in previous years, this will
take place from April 1 to May 31, 2006, in southern
Quebec and from May 1 to June 30, 2006, in the north.
Harvesting is authorized only on farmland, excluding
those areas where large numbers of people customarily
congregate to watch the geese, such as around Lac
St-Pierre and Montmagny.
The only change in the 2006 regulations from those
in force in 2005 concerns the hunting facilities,
which must now be set up only on farmland, not on
ponds, streams, rivers, canals or mud flats.
In the spring of 2005, hunters took some 34,600
geese. This represents a five percent increase over
the spring 2004 harvest. The most successful hunting
was on the stretch of the St. Lawrence between Trois-Rivières
upstream and Rivière-du-Loup downstream where
approximately 70 percent of the total harvest took
place. It is estimated that 814,600 geese migrated
through southern Quebec in the spring of 2005.
Hunters who would like to take part in the 2006
spring conservation harvest must hold a migratory
bird hunting permit for 2005-2006 and obtain a Quebec
small game hunting permit for 2006-2007. Those who
did not obtain a migratory bird permit in the fall
can still apply for one at most Canada Post offices
or from the offices of the Canadian Wildlife Service
at 1141 Route de l’Église, Sainte-Foy.
Further information on the regulations in force
in the spring of 2006 can be obtained by calling
1 800 463-4311.
A full explanation of the spring harvest, a special
conservation measure, can also be found on the Web
site of the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment
Canada at: www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/oiesn/oiesn.html
