Experts are cautioning that Jamaica may be moving too quickly to reopen the bird shooting season following Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the island’s forests and left bird populations struggling for food, shelter and survival since October 2025.

Their concerns come after the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) has granted approval in principle for a restricted bird shooting season for 2026.

NEPA indicated that the upcoming season will likely have geographic restrictions and a reduced number of hunting events.