Lake Buloke near Donald has been declared closed to hunting as of Saturday to prevent any further disturbances to significant numbers of threatened species.
The Game Management Authority (GMA) and Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) had been monitoring Lake Buloke prior to the opening of the 2023 duck season, but a survey conducted on May 4 found a large number of threatened species.
It detected about 650 blue-billed ducks, 195 freckled ducks and 250 blue-winged shovelers, which prompted the immediate closure of the lake to hunters
A decision to immediately close the lake was made after the survey.
Signs will be installed at Lake Buloke alerting hunters to the closure and authorised officers will patrol the wetland to ensure compliance.
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A total of 15 wetlands are now closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck hunting season.
To see all wetlands closed or partially closed to hunting for the 2023 duck season, visit Wetland Closures - 2023 duck season
The closure comes as over 3000 submissions have been sent to the Victorian parliamentary inquiry over the practice.
As of May 9, 461 submissions have been published, with both hunting and animal welfare advocates making for and against cases on whether the duck hunting season should continue into the future.
"Our committee is now carefully considering each of the submissions that have been made by individuals and organisations," Committee chair Ryan Batchelor said.
At the beginning of the season, members of the committee visited Lake Connewarre Game Reserve near Geelong and spoke to representatives of the Game Management Authority, Field and Game Australia as well as hunters and wildlife rescuers.
Among the submissions included one from the president of Australian Cypriot Sport Shooting Association Huseyin Alpozgen, who said hunting was good for the mental wellbeing of those who live regionally, and boosted comradery.
"I plead you to consider that hunting is more than killing animals, it's a social activity with friend(s) and family," Mr Alpozgen's submission said.
"All hunters live and breathe this activity and plan their holidays around seasons.
"It allows families to get out and enjoy our country, it brings in millions in financial support to rural communities."
But another submission from the Australian Wildlife Society said the practice should be unequivocally banned.
The conservation advocacy body's chief executive Patrick Medway said in his submission that shooting native protected species of duck was "a thing of the past and should not be permitted or allowed in a modern society of civilised people".
"Leave the hunting and gathering to those people who depend on this source of food for survival, not a cruel spot which has collateral damage to other protected species."
Last week animal activists showed laid out 73 dead ducks that they claimed were left illegally by hunters and had come through Wildlife Victoria's triage tent.
Eight of those ducks were threatened species.
A parliamentary report will be published by the inquiry before August 31.
