EU attention
Last September 27, the heads of European national hunting associations from over 30 countries met in Prague to discuss the latest developments in the field of large carnivores in Europe. Attention was focused on the recent European Commission consultation and communication, which recognizes the increase in conflicts and urges local authorities to apply existing exemptions from strict protection legislation: “The return of the wolf to regions of the EU where has been absent for a long time and is increasingly leading to conflicts with local farming and hunting communities, especially where measures to prevent attacks on livestock are not widely applied."
The role of hunters
Hunters are key players in the conservation and management of large carnivores. During the conference, participants discussed several successful examples of large carnivore conservation, with hunters actively engaged in conservation, monitoring and management. However, the increase in some populations of these species can lead to an increase in conflicts, often aggravated by the illogical reaction of increasing the level of protection rather than improving management measures for better coexistence. When addressing the challenges of large carnivore conservation, it is critical to consider the impact on livelihoods and local communities, especially when inadequate management systems exist. The worst-case scenario is one in which local communities are left alone to deal directly with the carnivores. Conservation and management strategies must therefore be inclusive, taking into account the needs and perspectives of local populations.
Habitats Directive and flexibility
The European Commission has stated on several occasions that member states should exploit the flexibility of the Habitats Directive, including recently to address the concentration of wolf packs in some European regions, the danger to livestock and potentially also to humans. Unfortunately, the revised EC guidance document on strong protection is more restrictive than the previous version. There is also a lack of widespread recognition of the compatibility of management with the long-term conservation of the species. The hunting community expects the Commission to align the EC guidelines with its most recent statements on wolves.
The presentations of the various countries
The conference heard a range of presentations from Sweden, Romania, Latvia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Croatia and Slovenia. These were supported by several interventions from FACE members from other European countries. Concluding the conference, Torbjörn Larsson, President of FACE, welcomed the European Commission's announcement to examine a proposal to amend, where appropriate, the protection status of the wolf and introduce further flexibility into the legal framework. “The time has come to take concrete action to ensure the conservation and management of the wolf and other large carnivore species together with European rural communities” concluded Larsson.