Goat Island open for hunting

Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz announced yesterday that Aguiguan or Goat Island will be open for goat hunting from April 1 to May 15, within days after the Senate approved revising CNMI hunting laws to not only double the hunting season for certain animals in a year but also to raise the hunting license fees.
Individuals interested in hunting on Aguiguan are required to apply for and be granted a hunting license at the Division of Fish and Wildlife office at the Department of Lands and Natural Resources on Tinian.

“The restrictions for hunting goats are designed to help wean the herd properly,” the mayor’s office said.

The Aguiguan goat hunting license fee for residents is $5, while for nonresidents, $20.

Only two types of weapons can be used: a .22 rifle, or a.22 Magnum.

Hunting bag limit is 10 goats per season, of which not more than five may be females.

The Tinian mayor said individuals who did not submit their report cards for the two previous hunting seasons will not be issued licenses.

“Fish and Wildlife officers on Tinian, Aguiguan, and Saipan will be guarding against poachers and will be conducting inspection before departure and arrival of all vessels. For further information, please call 433-1400 or 1401,” Dela Cruz added.

The goats on Aguiguan are the remnants of a herd that was imported during the Japanese administration to provide milk and cheese for the Okinawan farmers who lived there, CNMI historian and the Tinian mayor’s chief of staff Don Farrell said.

There are no natural predators of goats on Aguiguan.

Farrell said the Tinian mayor is working with DFW to produce a goat population study designed to control the goat population, eradicate other invasive species, protect and promote threatened and endangered species, and begin the reforestation of the island to its natural limestone forest eco-system.

Hunting law changes

Meanwhile, the Senate passed last week by a vote of 9-0 Sen. Jovita Taimanao’s (Ind-Rota) bill amending CNMI hunting laws. Senate Bill 18-46, Senate Draft 3 or the Hunting Act of 2014 is now up for House action.

Under the bill, the hunting season for Sambar deer or Cervus unicolor on Rota will be both from Feb. 14 to April 14, and from Sept. 15 to Nov. 15 each year. Hunting of female Sambar deer is prohibited.

The Sambar deer hunting license fee for CNMI residents is $50 for each season for a bag limit of two per person, while the license fee for nonresidents for each season is $300.

Coconut crab or Birgus latro hunting is from Feb. 14 to April 14 as well as from Sept. 15 to Nov. 15 of each year, under Taimanao’s bill. The license fee is $30 for CNMI residents, and $300 for nonresidents, all for a bag limit of five and a maximum of 10 coconut crabs per person each hunting season.

The bill also proposes an April 15 to May 31 and Oct. 1 to Nov. 30 hunting seasons for the Philippine turtle dove or Streptopelia bitorquata. The proposed license fee is $20 for CNMI residents and $100 for nonresidents, for a bag limit of five and a maximum of 20 for each person per season.

Taimanao’s bill also proposes an April 1 to June 30 and Sept. 1 to Dec. 31 hunting season for land crabs or Cardisoma hirtipes and Cardisoma carnifex.

The proposed license fee for hunting land crabs is $20 for CNMI residents and $100 for nonresidents, both with no bag or number limit each season.

The hunting seasons for wild goat, wild pig, and cow, under the bill, shall be open all year, with $25 license fee for CNMI residents and $100 for nonresidents.