At stake is the well-being of the district's stone fruit industry which continues to establish itself as producers diversify away from traditional crops like vegetables.

Gatton Shire Mayor, Steve Jones, concedes that there always has been a small flying fox population in the district, likewise throughout most of south-east Queensland.

Mr Jones sheets home the rising flying fox population to the expanding stone fruit industry that has been developing just north of the town, with more mango, apricot and peach crops also being grown in the district.

“All these new food sources suit flying foxes perfectly,” he said.

“Then there is the issue of public health - the smell, the noise and the droppings on roofs - which means people cannot drink from their water tanks.”

Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (EPA ) policy encourages fruit growers to use non lethal crop protection methods.

The suggestion is, the problem can be resolved by fixed frame or tunnel netting procedures.

While it is not illegal to have an electric grid, the EPA says it is illegal to use them to harm or kill flying foxes and significant penalties apply.

“The legislators say they (flying foxes) are protected and "that's the end of the story" but we feel this is inappropriate,” Mr Jones said.

“If the numbers were in normal proportions, that would be fair enough but when they get to plague proportions - it’s all out of balance.”

Earlier this year, court orders against Ingham lychee growers in far north Qld required them to dismantle electric grids being used to protect their crops from flying foxes.

The EPA says it would only licence such a device for crop protection if its use did not harm or kill flying foxes, saying that no electric grids have met this standard in the state and hence no grids have been licensed.

SOURCE: Breaking news from Queensland County Life weekly newspaper, updated daily on FarmOnline.