Statement From Senator Tony Avella on DEC's Revised Mute Swan Eradication Plan

“After seeing the State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Revised Draft Management Plan for the handling of mute swans, I immediately reached out to various animal rights groups to consult with them about the changes that were made. While I am glad that DEC has revisited its original inhumane plan to completely rid New York of more than 2,000 of these innocent birds, a complete review of the details in the updated plan will ultimately reveal whether more changes are needed. The revised plan is the first step toward a better solution for mute swan management, but it may not be enough.

I reintroduced my bill (S.1555) earlier this year which would place a moratorium on the implementation of any mute swan eradication plan without having first conducted public hearings, prioritizing non-lethal management techniques and providing scientific evidence of damage caused by the mute swan population. While the bill, which passed the legislature last year, was vetoed by the Governor, it sent a clear message to DEC that we opposed their plan and they had to do better.

As we all know, the devil is in the details. After I and other stakeholders have had a chance to fully review the revised plan, we will have a better idea as to whether or not we will accept the plan or insist DEC go further to protect the swans.”