In France, the Council of State considers “illegal” several bird hunting techniques

Published on : 08/06/2021 – 22:58

After the ban on glue hunting in June, the Council of State ruled, Friday August 6, “illegal” several traditional bird hunting techniques, techniques used in the Ardennes and the south-west of the region. France.

Seized by the associations the League for the protection of birds (LPO) and One Voice, “the Council of State today cancels several authorizations to hunt crested lapwing, golden plovers, skylarks, thrushes and blackbirds in the using nets (pantes, tenderies) or cages (matoles) “because these authorizations” do not comply with the requirements of European law relating to the protection of birds “, according to a press release.

The European “birds” directive of 2009 prohibits mass capture techniques for birds without distinction of species. A derogation is possible “on condition of being duly motivated and when ‘there is no other satisfactory solution’ to capture certain birds”, recalls the Council of State.

“The ministerial authorizations in question (…) are not duly motivated” and the ministry has not shown that these traditional hunting methods “are the only ones allowing the capture of crested lapwing, golden plovers, larks. fields, thrushes and blackbirds “. “The sole reason for preserving these so-called ‘traditional’ hunting methods is not enough to authorize them,” continues the Council of State.

“A historic victory”, greets the association One Voice

One Voice immediately hailed “a historic victory in line with that won against the glue hunters”. This trapping technique with sticks coated with glue was banned in June by the courts, which after years of rebounding, ruled that it endangers birds other than those targeted by this hunt, thrushes and blackbirds.

The LPO, for its part, “now asks the government to act accordingly and to abolish these practices of another age.”

“If we could conceive of the use of traditional hunts in times of scarcity or war, today it is no longer a mere hobby,” notes its president Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, recalling that birds towns and fields are seeing their populations collapse because of human activities in France.

Scientists again sounded the alarm at the end of May, asking for faster and stronger action to change agricultural practices, particularly related to pesticides, to give up certain hunts or rethink the renovation of buildings.

The National Federation of Hunters steps up to the plate

The National Federation of Hunters (FNC) denounces for its part “an unbearable decision” “without the slightest serious basis”. “She calls on Prime Minister Jean Castex” and will “examine all possible legal remedies”. “For us, traditional hunts are the very essence of the passion for hunting and will always be at the heart of the defense of our hunting practices,” said its president Willy Schraen, quoted in the press release.

The Ministry of Ecological Transition in June submitted for public consultation decrees for the 2021-2022 season concerning 106,500 field larks, 5,800 thrushes and blackbirds, 1,200 crested lapwings and 30 golden plovers, denounces the LPO. One Voice and the LPO say they are ready to attack these new decrees.

>> See also: In France, the gap is widening between pro and anti-hunting

The Ministry of Ecological Transition takes “note of this decision of the Council of State which cancels several ministerial decrees of last year authorizing so-called traditional hunts”. “The decrees of this year, in the course of consultation, are withdrawn”, specifies the ministry to AFP, adding that it will “take stock of this file by precisely analyzing the decision of the Council of State”.

With AFP