S.I. No. 394/2003 - Wildlife (Wild Birds) (Open Seasons) (Amendment) Order, 2003

I, Martin Cullen, Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by Sections 8(2) of the Wildlife Acts, 1976 (No. 39 of 1976 and 2000 (No. 30 of 2000), and the Heritage (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 2002 ( S.I. No. 356 of 2002 ), hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Wildlife (Wild Birds) (Open Seasons) (Amendment) Order, 2003.

2. In this Order the “Principal Order” means the Wildlife (Wild Birds) (Open Seasons) (Amendment) Order, 1979 ( S.I. No. 192 of 1979 ) as amended.

3. The First Schedule to the “Principal Order” is hereby amended by the substitution of the following Part for Part I:

PART I

WILD BIRDS	OPEN SEASON	PLACES IN THE STATE
(1)	(2)	(3)
Red Grouse	The period beginning on the 1^st day of September in each year and ending on the 30^th day of September in the same year.	Throughout the State.
Mallard Teal Gadwall Wigeon Pintail Shoveler Scaup Tufted Duck Pochard Goldeneye Golden Plover Snipe Jack Snipe	The period beginning on the 1^st day of September in each year and ending on the 31^st day of January in the year immediately following that year.	Throughout the State.
Red-legged Partridge	The period beginning on the 1^st day of November in each year and ending on the 31^st day of January in the year immediately	Throughout the State.
Cock Pheasant Woodcock	The period beginning on the 1^st day of November in each year and ending on the 31^st day of January in the year immediately following that year.	Throughout the State.
Curlew	The period beginning on the 1^st day of November in each year and ending on the 30^th day of November in the same year.	Throughout the State.
Woodpigeon	The period commencing on the 1^st day of November in each year and ending on the 31^st day of January immediately following that year.	Throughout the State.
Canada Goose	The period beginning on the 1^st day of September in each year and ending on the 15^th day of October in the same year.	Throughout the State.
Canada Goose	The period beginning on the 16^th day of October in each year and ending on the 31^st day of January in the year immediately following that year.	The counties of Cavan (exclusive of the townlands of Eonish Island, Rinn, Deramfield) and Leitrim (exclusive of the River Shannon).
Greylag Goose	The period beginning on the 1^st day of September in each year and ending on the 15^th day of October in the same year.	Throughout the State.
Greylag Goose	The period beginning on the 16^th day of October in each year and ending on the 31^st day of January in the year immediately following that year.	Lady's Island, in the county of Wexford Gearagh East & Gearagh West, in the county of Cork.
Ruddy Duck	The period beginning on the 1^st day of September in each year and ending on the 31^st day of January in the year immediately following that year.	Throughout the State.

	GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government this 3^rd day of September, 2003

	Martin Cullen, T.D.,
	Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

The effect of this Order is to amend the Open Seasons list of huntable species of wild birds by providing a season for the hunting of Wood Pigeon. Thereafter the season for Wood Pigeon will begin on the 1^st day of November in each year (including 2003) and end on the 31^st day of January in the year immediately following.