GTW
NEWS
FACE demands European
Commission rethinks its
approach to large carnivores
Th e need for a more pragmatic
and trust-based approach to large
carnivore management was the key
focus of a meeting between FACE,
the Nordic Hunters’ Alliance and
Vice-President of the European
Commission, Mr. Jyrki Katainen
recently in Brussels.
FACE opened the meeting
with an overview of its clear policy
requests as well as those coming
from the European Parliament,
the Committee of the Regions,
most Member States and key rural
stakeholders on the need to correctly
apply Article 19 of the Habitats
Directive. Th is would provide for
a process to update the level of
strict protection provided to some
populations of species and more
fl exibility.
Th e long-standing problem
regarding the infringement cases
by the European Commission
(EC) against Sweden and Finland
was addressed. Th ese open, but
also idle, infringement cases create
unnecessary tension and legal
uncertainty for both Finland and
Sweden, which are working to
achieve legally sound and evidencebased
approaches for their wolf
management plans.
Torbjörn Larsson, President of the
Swedish Association for Hunting
and Wildlife Management said:
“Th e eight-year infringement against
Sweden is eroding trust between
stakeholders and needs to be
urgently concluded. Trust-building
cannot go hand in hand with an
open legal case against our country.
Th e EC must also recognise that
implementation of the Habitats
Directive needs to consider each
country’s specifi c local, regional and
cultural circumstances to reduce
unavoidable confl icts between people
and large carnivores”.
Heli Siitari, Managing Director
of the Finnish Hunters’ Association
stated: “Finland should be allowed
to put its wolf management
framework in place without the
continued threat of legal action from
the EC. It’s impossible to build
the necessary long-term consensus
12 www.guntradeworld.com
for wolf management with so
much uncertainty and scrutiny. We
want the same level of trust and
acceptance for wolf management as
is the case for our Brown Bear and
Lynx management”.
Ludwig Willnegger, FACE
Secretary General stated: “Th e EC
cannot keep refusing to accept the
need for a procedure to amend the
annexes of the Habitats Directive,
which is clearly stated in Article
19 of the Habitats Directive. It’s
time for the EC to establish a
procedure to amend the annexes
of the Habitats Directive for
certain large carnivore populations
that have reached a Favourable
Conservation Status”. He strongly
called for “accepting hunting to be
fully recognised as eff ective and
legitimate management tool for large
carnivores”.
FACE also used the meeting
to explain its position on the next
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
post 2020. According to Dr. David
Scallan, FACE Senior Conservation
Manager: “Th ere is a need for strong
nature and biodiversity objectives
in the new ‘delivery model’ for the
next CAP. Post 2020, the EC must
set a high threshold to ensure that
each Member State’s CAP Strategic
Plans reward farmers for producing
food and ecosystem services
whatever the scale, thereby providing
multiple benefi ts for farmers and
society at large. Th e dramatic decline
in small game huntable and nonhuntable
populations, such as
the Grey Partridge and Brown Hare
is alarming”.
FACE discussed a range
of concrete measures such as
the abolition of the mulching
obligations, the promotion of
multiannual fl owered areas, the use
of wild plants for energy production
and the restoration of habitats.
Europe’s national hunting
associations will be supporting
FACE in ensuring the eff ective
design and delivery of the next CAP
so that governments pay strong
attention to achieving biodiversity
targets.
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