Author: FACE

The project of this month shows how hunters from Club della Becaccia are working together with research institutions to monitor wintering Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) in protected areas in Italy since 2003. The work is undertaken by Club della Becaccia and the National Institute for Wildlife (INFS-ISPRA) in conjunction with the University of Genoa. Together, they collaborate in the monitoring design, field surveys and data analysis. Hunters play a key role in field surveys by using highly trained pointing dogs to flush...

04 August, 2017 /

Without prejudice to any further announcements/actions, the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE) feels compelled to provide clarification on certain provisions of the Birds Directive following the recent opinion of the EU Advocate General (AG) in the live-finch capturing (trapping) case (European Commission vs. Malta). Although many are already referring to this opinion as yet another excessively restrictive and possibly erroneous interpretation of certain relevant provisions of the Birds Directive, FACE would like to clarify that this is a non-binding...

27 July, 2017 /

On 22 June 2017, FACE attended a two day meeting in Sliema, Malta, to make progress towards eradicating the Illegal Killing, Taking and Trade of Migratory Wild Birds (IKB). The meeting was chaired by the Maltese Government and attended by over 80 participants from 24 countries in Europe, 17 of which are EU member states, 29 observer organisations that included NGOs, enforcement groups and networks and scientific organisations. The meeting was part of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Intergovernmental Task Force...

18 July, 2017 /

The conference is hosted by MEP Karl-Heinz Florenz, President of Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside”, and by MEP Bendt Bendtsen, Vice-President of the Intergroup, and organised in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of FACE, the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU With a focus on young hunters, the panel members will discuss the future of hunting in an increasingly urbanised world as well as the contribution of European hunters to the goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to...

14 July, 2017 /

FACE welcomes ONCFS’s guide to the ageing and sexing of common European ducks. First published in 2014, it is now available in English and can be downloaded. The guide covers the ten ducks most commonly observed, ringed and hunted in France (Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Garganey and Wigeon).The text is supplemented by tens of original photographs of wings and other specific plumage features for each species, with a concise text explaining which specific criteria...

11 July, 2017 /

FACE is deeply concerned following the recent detection of African swine fever (ASF) in two wild boars in the Czech Republic. The infected animals were found in Zlin, 300 km south-east of the capital Prague. It is the first reported case of this problematic disease in Czech Republic. A 10km sanitary perimeter has been established around the infected area, where wild boar hunting is prohibited and monitoring is intensified. Ludwig Willnegger, FACE Secretary General, stated: “This is another major development concerning...

06 July, 2017 /

This month, the Biodiversity Manifesto Project of the Month focuses in on the efforts of Maltese hunters and trappers who manage the Federation for Hunting & Conservation - Malta (FKNK) Hunting Reserves of Aħrax and Miżieb in order to combat forest fires and to encourage biodiversity. Since 1984 an average of 750 hunters and trappers, members of the FKNK (Malta’s FACE Members of 30 years) participate in cleaning, planting and pruning of indigenous trees in the Hunting Reserves of Aħrax...

05 July, 2017 /

On Tuesday 27 June, the conference “Perspectives on Combating Illegal Killing: The Role of Hunters”, organised by FACE, the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU and hosted by MEP Karl-Heinz Florenz at the European Parliament in Brussels, discussed the contribution of hunters in combating illegal killing. MEP Karl-Heinz Florenz, President of the Intergroup ‘Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside’ and Chair of the meeting, stated that: “Hunters have an important role to play in tackling illegal killing, through their involvement...

29 June, 2017 /

Brussels, 27 June 2017 – FACE welcomes that a majority of EU Member States rejected a proposal by the German Environment Ministry to introduce severe restrictions on the importation of hunting trophies for non-threatened CITES species into the European Union (Annex B species). The proposal, which was discussed on the 20-21 June in Brussels by EU Member States’ CITES representatives during closed-door meetings, was not supported due to the obvious lack of scientific evidence. It has become apparent that the proposal...

27 June, 2017 /

On the 19th of June 2017, EU Member states approved the inclusion of 12 new species to the list of Invasive Alien Species of EU concern. The additions comprise of 3 animals and 9 plants. The list counts now 49 species (new species in bold): 26 animal species: - Amur Sleeper Perccottus glenii - Asian Hornet Vespa velutina - Chinese Mitten Crab Eriocheir sinensis - Coypu Myocastor coypus - Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca - Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger - Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis - Indian House Crow Corvus...

27 June, 2017 /

FACE is sharing the stories of women hunters to learn more about their motivations, challenges and views. We thank the women hunters who have already shared their experiences with us through our questionnaire. Here’s a snapshot of Katarina Stern from Latvia. “My name is Katarina Stern. I was born in Riga, the capital of Latvia, but all my life I lived in Liepaja. My first word in this world was “horse”: I love these animals with all my heart. My other...

23 June, 2017 /

In conjunction with their national partners, FACE and WWF organised a regional workshop of the Large Carnivore Platform in Bucharest, Romania on Coexistence between people and large carnivores: Sharing good practice in monitoring and communication. Together with the Secretariat of the Platform, they brought together the different actors involved with large carnivore management in Romania. There was a great variety of presentations, with a focus on the conservation, management and monitoring of large carnivores in different European countries. The workshop aimed at...

16 June, 2017 /

From the 12-14 June, FACE attended a Stakeholder workshop hosted by Denmark for the development of an AEWA International Species Management Plan for the Barnacle Goose (East Greenland/Scotland & Ireland; Svalbard/South-west Scotland; and Russia/North-west Europe populations). The Barnacle goose has seen a remarkable increase of its population and is now creating many problems for agriculture, nature conservation and air safety. At the workshop, there was disagreement expressed by some on the legal framework for managing the Barnacle goose at the flyway level...

15 June, 2017 /

The conference, hosted by MEP Karl-Heinz Florenz, President of Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside”, and organised in cooperation with FACE will take place on Tuesday 27th June at the European Parliament in Brussels. The conference “Perspectives on Combating Illegal Killing: The Role of Hunters” will discuss the contribution of hunters to combating illegal killing. It will include presentations on the illegal killing of large carnivores as defiance of authorities, solutions to dealing with illegal killing in Africa and in the Mediterranean Region,...

15 June, 2017 /

To follow up on the presentation of the EU Action Plan on Nature, People and the Economy, the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions and the Maltese Presidency jointly hosted a conference on 6 June 2017 on the EU Nature Directives Action Plan. A wide range of stakeholders came together to discuss the Plan and its implementation. FACE, together with other stakeholders, welcomed the opportunity to discuss it. The plan is ambitious and has to be achieved in a short period...

06 June, 2017 /

From the 1-3 of June, FACE attended the 12th meeting of the Group of Experts of the Bern Convention on Invasive Alien Species in Madeira (Portugal). At the meeting, Member States presented their implementation reports on the European Strategy on IAS. A number of NGOs also presented their reports and progress made on IAS. FACE’s Conservation Policy Assistant, Monia Anane, participated in this meeting and presenting the updated FACE Implementation Report of the Code of Conduct on Hunting and IAS. This included...

05 June, 2017 /

Green infrastructures have the purpose to come up against habitats fragmentation. They are natural/semi-natural areas especially created to network ecosystems and provide ecosystem services such as water purification, air quality, space for recreation and climate mitigation and adaptation. Green infrastructures are providing multiple climate change mitigation services. Examples of green infrastructures are: Corridors linking farmland habitats to enable wildlife movement and deliver food and shelter Wetlands creating resting areas for waterfowls on migration pathways Ecoducts/green bridges allowing animals to safely cross highways Hunters significantly contribute...

05 June, 2017 /

Every June, the EU Platform on Coexistence with Large Carnivores convenes in Brussels for their plenary meeting. Items on the agenda included the presentation of the case studies analysis by the Platform secretariat. The final report on the case studies will be presented next year. After that there were presentations of regional platforms dealing with large carnivores: the Alpine Convention platform, the Carpathian Convention and the Switzerland large carnivore platform. There was also some preparatory work for the regional workshop in Romania,...

02 June, 2017 /

On the 29-30 May, FACE attended the biannual meeting of the EU Nature and Biodiversity Directors in Malta. The main points discussed were: the need to do much more to achieve the targets of the EU Biodiversity Strategy by 2020; the relevance of the Action Plan for Nature, People and the Economy; the need to implement the Natura 2000 network to its full potential; the public awareness and understanding that needs to be improved to achieve the objectives; and the importance of adequate funding for the...

31 May, 2017 /

This month, FACE has chosen the Latvian conservation of large carnivores as the Biodiversity Manifesto project of the month. The Latvian hunters are involved in multiple ways in a project to monitor population changes in Wolf and Lynx populations. Latvia has managed a stable population with a slight increase. The objective is to have no less than 300 – 500 wolves (Canis lupus) in spring before young puppies are born. This is a well managed population that has come from an...

31 May, 2017 /

To mark the 25th Anniversary of the Habitats Directive and of the LIFE Programme, the European Commission together with the European Parliament, the Council Presidency and the Committee of the Regions declared 21st May as “European Natura 2000 Day”. Natura 2000 is producing good results but implementation clearly needs improvement at Member State level in particular with greater stakeholder involvement and dialogue. FACE will be supporting a better implementation of Natura 2000 as outlined in the EU Action Plan for Nature, People...

19 May, 2017 /

FACE was present at a conference on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The CAP is a major policy in Europe and currently uses the largest portion of the European Commission’s (EC) budget (almost 40%). It has resulted in major improvements in food production since its conception in 1957, however, there is recognition that the future CAP to be more sustainable. For FACE, the decline in farmland biodiversity, especially (huntable) small game species, is a very important subject....

12 May, 2017 /

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) accounts for nearly 40% of the EU budget and is a crucial support mechanism for agriculture and the rural environment in Europe. Many hunters will be aware that European agriculture has had a significant impact on farmland biodiversity, including many small game species. In 2020, the CAP will be revised; FACE and its members will be working hard to improve the next CAP and its consequences for hunting and conservation. In FACE’s view, the next CAP...

10 May, 2017 /

This year, the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE) is celebrating World Migratory Bird Day as a means to promote the recently established Waterbird Fund. FACE is calling on those who sustainably use and conserve waterbirds to contribute to this important Fund to ensure that we better understand the status of our migratory waterbird populations. The FACE Biodiversity Manifesto demonstrates that hunters are already actively involved in managing and creating wetlands that are important for migratory birds in Europe. However,...

10 May, 2017 /

Last week, the European Commission published its “Action Plan for Nature, People and the Economy”, which was the result of the “Fitness Check” of the EU nature directives. FACE, with input from its Members, has been involved in the entire Fitness Check consultation process including the development of this EU Action Plan. The Plan includes important actions for European hunters to be delivered by 2019, including: Updating guidance on species protection rules under the Habitats Directive; Updating the “Key concepts document on the...

04 May, 2017 /
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