The Victorian Government has announced a major crackdown on opponents of duck hunting and logging.

It has introduced amendments to the Wildlife Act that will increase penalties for protestors in duck shooting areas from $1,400 to more than $8,500.

There will also be fines of almost $3,000 for harassing hunters.

The Government has also created new offences for breaching an exclusion order in logging zones, with similar penalties.

The Government had previously introduced new rules requiring protesters to stay 25 metres clear of water bodies where duck hunters are shooting.

Demonstrators questioned the purpose of the exclusion zones, saying they were not designed for safety, but to protect shooters.



There are 25,000 licensed duck hunters in Victoria, and each year there is a 12-week hunting season that begins around March.