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House expands Rota hunting seasons
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Posted on Nov 25 2004
A bill was introduced Wednesday allowing licensed hunters to catch a maximum of 80 pieces of coconut crabs for $200 and four Sambar deer on Rota for $120 each year.
Rota Rep. Crispin M. Ogo’s House Bill 14-266 actually expands the hunting of coconut crabs in the CNMI and the indigenous Sambar deer on Rota from once to twice a year. The bill provides that the hunting seasons shall be from Feb. 14 to March 30 and Sept. 15 to Oct. 31.
Currently, the hunting for Sambar deer on Rota is only allowed from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30. Coconut crabs can be gathered only from Sept. 15 to Nov. 15.
The bill imposes a $30 license fee for Sambar deer hunting, for a maximum of two licenses per season. Each license entitles the hunter to catch one Sambar deer.
The coconut crab license would be $25 each for a maximum of four licenses per season.
Each license entitles the hunter to a bag limit of 10 coconut crabs.
The measure, however, prohibits the hunting of female Sambar deer and female coconut crabs, as well as male coconut crabs that are less than three inches wide across the back.
Meantime, the bill authorizes the hunting of the Philippine Turtle Dove, Micronesian Starling, Black Drongo, and White-Throated Ground Dove from April 15 to May 31 and from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30 each year.
Each license shall be $10 for a maximum of once license per season. Each license entitles one to catch a total bag limit of 20 birds per season.
The license for wild goats, wild pigs, wild cows, land crab, and sea crab shall be $10 each. The license entitles the hunter, except for land crab, an unlimited bag and season limit. The hunting seasons for land crab shall be from April 1 to June 30 and from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31.
Further, the bill prescribes that licensees wear bright, orange-colored headgear and vest while hunting. Violators shall forfeit all the catch and shall be fined not more than $1,000 for Sambar deer, not more than $500 for coconut crabs, and not more than $100 for land crab.
The sale of Sambar deer and coconut crabs shall be authorized only during the prescribed seasons.
The Division of Fish and Wildlife shall promulgate rules and regulations consistent with the bill, known as the proposed Hunting Act of 2004.
