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Committed to the conservation, enhancement and stewardship of habitat across Newfoundland and Labrador
Action: Learn About Conservation Enforcement as it Impacts Your Municipal Habitat Stewardship Agreement
In response to commonly expressed community concerns, SAM has collected some FAQs related to enforcement of fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation. These FAQs are intended to provide clarification, but are not intended to be exhaustive or provide legal advice; please call 1-877-820-0999 to speak with an officer if you have any questions. Further, please note that Indigenous hunters may have different regulations.
Law enforcement officers encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the outdoors and participate in recreational activities such as hunting and fishing. Regulations are in place to ensure that these activities are done safely and with respect to other people and wildlife, in order to protect this province's resources for generations to come.
To Report Suspected Illegal Activity Confidentially:
https://www.stoppoaching.ca/make-a-complaint/
24/7 Provincial Report Line (Anonymous): 1-877-820-0999
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Are Conservation Areas under SAM closed to hunting/fishing/trapping/berry picking?No – a conservation area (known as Management Units in older agreements) designated through a municipality in Newfoundland and Labrador and the provincial Wildlife Division, in partnership with SAM, under the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture does not change any existing hunting and trapping rights. If hunting/fishing/trapping/berry picking is otherwise legal in the area (or in part of the area), it will remain that way after a Conservation Area is designated. There is no special or extra enforcement of fish and wildlife regulations in these areas; Conservation Areas are meant to protect habitat and mostly concern development and uses that are compatible with healthy habitat. See the 2022-2023 Hunting and Trapping Guide for more information.
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What are the distances to be able to hunt near a school, dwelling, etc?"It is illegal to discharge a firearm within: 1,000 meters (1 km or 1093 yards) of a school, playground or athletic field 300 meters (0.3 km or 328 yards) of a dwelling These regulations exist for safety reasons. Distances from these places can easily be calculated with a rangefinder or GPS. It is the hunter’s responsibility to know how far away they are from these places. In addition, one must exercise “reasonable care for the safety of other persons”, so even if the person discharging the firearm is farther than those distances, they still need to act in a responsible way if there are other people present in an area. See Section 111. (1) & (2) of the Wild Life Regulations for more detail.
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Are Conservation Areas under SAM closed to hunting/fishing/trapping/berry picking?No – a conservation area (known as Management Units in older agreements) designated through a municipality in Newfoundland and Labrador and the provincial Wildlife Division, in partnership with SAM, under the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture does not change any existing hunting and trapping rights. If hunting/fishing/trapping/berry picking is otherwise legal in the area (or in part of the area), it will remain that way after a Conservation Area is designated. There is no special or extra enforcement of fish and wildlife regulations in these areas; Conservation Areas are meant to protect habitat and mostly concern development and uses that are compatible with healthy habitat. See the 2022-2023 Hunting and Trapping Guide for more information.
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What are the distances to be able to hunt near a school, dwelling, etc?"It is illegal to discharge a firearm within: 1,000 meters (1 km or 1093 yards) of a school, playground or athletic field 300 meters (0.3 km or 328 yards) of a dwelling These regulations exist for safety reasons. Distances from these places can easily be calculated with a rangefinder or GPS. It is the hunter’s responsibility to know how far away they are from these places. In addition, one must exercise “reasonable care for the safety of other persons”, so even if the person discharging the firearm is farther than those distances, they still need to act in a responsible way if there are other people present in an area. See Section 111. (1) & (2) of the Wild Life Regulations for more detail.
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Are Conservation Areas under SAM closed to hunting/fishing/trapping/berry picking?No – a conservation area (known as Management Units in older agreements) designated through a municipality in Newfoundland and Labrador and the provincial Wildlife Division, in partnership with SAM, under the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture does not change any existing hunting and trapping rights. If hunting/fishing/trapping/berry picking is otherwise legal in the area (or in part of the area), it will remain that way after a Conservation Area is designated. There is no special or extra enforcement of fish and wildlife regulations in these areas; Conservation Areas are meant to protect habitat and mostly concern development and uses that are compatible with healthy habitat. See the 2022-2023 Hunting and Trapping Guide for more information.
-
What are the distances to be able to hunt near a school, dwelling, etc?"It is illegal to discharge a firearm within: 1,000 meters (1 km or 1093 yards) of a school, playground or athletic field 300 meters (0.3 km or 328 yards) of a dwelling These regulations exist for safety reasons. Distances from these places can easily be calculated with a rangefinder or GPS. It is the hunter’s responsibility to know how far away they are from these places. In addition, one must exercise “reasonable care for the safety of other persons”, so even if the person discharging the firearm is farther than those distances, they still need to act in a responsible way if there are other people present in an area. See Section 111. (1) & (2) of the Wild Life Regulations for more detail.
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