Beekeeping site plan out to public

Tuesday, 25 January, 2000 - 21:00
A PROPOSAL to allow trading in beekeeping sites on conservation lands has been put out for public comment.

The paper, prepared by the Department of Conservation and Land Management, is part of the WA Government’s response to issues arising from the National Competi-tion Policy.

CALM currently issues about 2,900 apiary site permits and around 75 per cent of WA’s honey production is generated from these sites.

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said the paper identified some of the impacts of allowing trading of apiary sites and proposed four broad options to manage the trading.

A combination of several of the options under the proposal is also possible. These include:

• Retaining the present system

• Ending all permits

• Calling for tenders while at the same time allowing trading

• Implementing trading with a sliding scale of rentals based on site quality.

The public comment period runs until March.

Copies of the paper are available from CALM by phoning 9334 0207.