The Minister of Conservation has appointed three new Councillors to help carry out the statutory functions of the New Zealand Game Animal Council (GAC).

“It is exciting to welcome three new Game Animal Councillors to our team,” says GAC Chair Grant Dodson.

The three new councillors are:

• Melissa Jackson – (Uenuku, Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu, Ngāti Maniapoto) is a former lawyer turned local government strategic planning and policy professional. Melissa is also Secretary of the Central King Country branch of the NZDA and a Kaitiaki Hunting Instructor with Taumarunui based Te Awanui a Rua Charitable Trust
• Andrew Simpson - Canterbury-based lawyer and academic. Andrew brings forty years' experience as a hunter and twenty years' experience as an advisor to statutory bodies.
• Callum Sheridan - NZDA board member and Vice President, and Immediate Past President of NZDA’s Auckland branch. Callum owns an Auckland-based residential construction company.

“Melissa, Andrew and Callum are joining a well-functioning, diverse Council that is focused on achieving good outcomes for hunting, game animal management and conservation in New Zealand and I am sure, based on their experience, that they will all make a valuable contribution to the organisation over the next few years.”

“I also congratulate John Cook, President of the Central North Island Sika Foundation, who has been reappointed for another term. John is a valuable member of the team and provides strong links to the central North Island hunting community and the game animal management work the Sika Foundation has underway.”

“I also want to acknowledge our retiring councillors, Bruce Warburton and Erin Garrick,” says Dodson. “Both Bruce and Erin’s scientific understanding of wildlife and ecological management has been invaluable to the Council as we partner with DOC, iwi, hapu and whanau to implement modern game animal management through the Te Ara ki Mua Framework.”

The management of game animal populations in order to limit their impacts while providing for their recreational, community and commercial benefits remains a demanding task.

“The conversation around game animal management has come a long way over the last few years. Through the work of DOC, the GAC and many others inside and outside the hunting sector, progress is being made on instituting a management direction and providing the systems that can empower local communities and provide sustainable future success,” says Dodson.

“Different animal populations in different places present different opportunities and challenges. Management led by the hunting sector, either on its own accord or in partnership with others, will be a vital tool going forward and the Game Animal Council is committed to facilitating and supporting that to improve outcomes for native species and provide quality opportunities for recreational and commercial hunting, and mahinga kai.”

Full bios on current Game Animal Councillors are available at https://nzgameanimalcouncil.org.nz/who-we-are/

The NZ Game Animal Council is a statutory organisation working to improve the sustainable management of game animals and hunting for recreation, communities, commerce and conservation.

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