GMA Gameduck Wing Survey

Harvest bag surveys can provide data on age and sex ratios, which can be used to estimate juvenile recruitment and productivity. Allowing the input of harvest data by hunters from waterbodies within each bioclimatic zone will provide unbiased and precise estimates of age ratios for each of the game species and assist with modelling required to monitor and inform Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM).

The review of the waterfowl AHM identified that Victorian game duck populations should be stratified into four regional areas which represent the bioclimatic zones. These regions are based on catchment boundaries and capture regional variation in hydrology/water availability, and hence should reflect regional variation in waterbody availability and game duck abundance.