By Sébastien Comet
Published on
9 May 24 at 9:25
See my news
Follow News Landes
Anger and tension for hunters in Landes, Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne and Pyrénées-Atlantiques. This Monday, May 6, the Board of state, judged, on the merits, the conformity or not with European law of lark hunting with pantes and matoles. The highest court in the country ruled in favor of the two environmental associations which had urgently referred their matter to the Council of State last April.
“General mobilization”
As a result, he ruled that this traditional hunting was illegal, which had already been temporarily banned since October 2022, but which managed to stay alive thanks to several government decrees.
In a joint press release, the hunting federations of the departments concerned believe that hunters are “despised”. “Paris decides to erase our cultures” they say with one voice. “Why so much contempt? Beyond historical practices and knowledge, beyond the passionate happiness of simple people who ask for nothing except to live peacefully, the South-West, every autumn, creates a society around these timeless moments. These hunts are the soul of a region! »
They call for a general mobilization in the coming weeks and also advise the elected representatives of the territories to take their responsibility.
“Archaic practices”
On the side of the Bird Protection League (LPO) it is obviously the opposite feeling: “by repealing the last decrees still in force, justice removes from French law any reference to these archaic practices of trapping wild birds” rejoices the association. She concludes her press release: “this decision is excellent news for the protection of the skylark which has lost more than half of its European numbers since 1980 and almost a quarter of its French population over the last 20 years”.
The Council of State justified its decision by ruling that the government decrees were not in compliance with article 9 of the European directive of November 30, 2009 which prohibits mass capture techniques of birds without distinction of species. Exemptions may be issued “if there is no other satisfactory solution”.
Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon -.
