Bid to bring bird hunting season to an early close

Date: 04/01/1996

RARE species of birds, which animal rights campaigners claim are being hunted out of existence, may win a stay of execution this month if the European Parliament decides to tighten draft EU bird-preservation rules.

Changes to a European Commission proposal, adopted by the Parliament's influential environment committee just before Christmas, would bring an early end to hunting seasons throughout the EU, if supported by the assembly as a whole and by government ministers.

They would also ban the killing of protected birds during their period of reproduction and grant stronger protection to those returning to their rearing grounds.

If approved by the full Parliament, the amendments would represent a significant victory for animal rights groups which have campaigned tirelessly in recent months to have hunting in the Union curbed, if not stopped.

MEPS are due to vote on the proposal during their 15-19 January plenary session, before passing it back to member state ministers.

While most member states already insist that hunting seasons must draw to a close by 31 January, the date written into the draft EU law by the environment committee, those which do not are likely to resist any attempt to dictate when their hunters may or may not work.

Powerful lobbies in France, for instance, claim that hunters have a historical right, dating back to the French Revolution, to chase their prey whenever they wish, a claim which has largely been taken on board by the Republic's government.

Parliament rapporteur, Dutch Socialist Maartje van Putten, however, rejects that argument. “Birds are our common heritage and the world has changed since French hunters acquired their hunting rights 200 years ago. We now see a large number of migratory species of birds deteriorating sharply. Hunting traditions in the EU can be maintained, but only with the necessary conservation measures,” she said.

Van Putten said during the committee debate that she deeply regretted the fact that a minority of French citizens was thwarting efforts to reach an EU-wide agreement aimed at protecting endangered species of birds.

So far, the Commission has taken a softly-softly approach towards this delicate issue, calling on member states to limit hunting, but without laying down specific rules to achieve that aim.

According to the environment committee, which adopted a much tougher stance, such an approach would do nothing to prevent bird stocks from dwindling in Europe.