As a member of the falconry…

As a member of the falconry community I support the new proposal presented in this legislation . Falconry as brought me and my family a greater appreciation and a better understanding of the natural world . Falconers have been on the forefront of many successful recoveries. From captive breeding of species at risk to releasing program , we have made lasting contributions to the protections of raptors. Eliminating the draw would remove a major obstacle for aspiring falconer. As such , one had to wait sometimes few years to be able to trap a bird due to the limited numbers of permit allocated . I personally missed few seasons due to the low number of wild take permits and the lack of available birds from captive breeding. The proposal to allow a limited number of permits for Goshawk would be a very positive step forward for the Ontario falconer community. I have personally have participate in many nesting surveys and can attest to the fact that these magnificent birds are not rare in our province. In fact we have discovered many in close proximity to the GTA which was very gratifying to see. I don't see the 5 allocations for Goshawk to have a negative impact on the specie considering that their chance of survival in their first year would be better in captivity . We all know that first year mortality in birds of prey is around 75% in the wild. Many jurisdictions in north America and in here in Canada have had wild take of Goshawk with not negative impact to the wild population.
In closing , I would like to thank you for taking time to read my comments and hope that the MNRF will amend that current legislation and implement the new proposal .

Best