In yesterday's decision (10 October 2019), the European Court of Justice confirmed that the use of hunting as a management tool for strictly protected species is compatible with European law. The Court ruled in response to the question raised by the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland which had contacted the most other European body to find out the correct interpretation of the granting of derogations according to the Habitats Directive and confirmed the possibility, within strict limits and if all the conditions required for the grant are met, that hunting can be used as a wolf management tool.
Face welcomes this conscious decision that many EU Member States apply hunting as a management tool to ensure a positive ecological contribution in the long term to large carnivore populations and public perception.