Wildlife activist Laurie Levy has been fined with entering the water illegally at the opening of Victoria’s duck hunting season.
Department of Primary Industries (DPI) officers arrested Mr Levy after he entered the water at Lake Buloke, in Victoria’s northwest, to retrieve a wounded duck before 10am on Saturday.
He was fined $122 for entering a specified hunting area without holding either a game or shooter’s licence.
An estimated 150 protesters have rallied at the lake to protest the opening of the season, which runs until June 11.
About 17,000 of Victoria’s 26,000 licensed duck hunters hit wetlands across the state on Saturday morning, says Anthony Hurst, executive director of the DPI-controlled Game Victoria.
More than 160 police and DPI officers are stationed at 25 major sites and Mr Hurst says most hunters have behaved responsibly, with seven offences recorded for shooting early and hunting.
Mr Hurst says he is disappointed with the behaviour of some protesters at Lake Buloke for putting public safety at risk by entering the water.
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