Brussels, 27/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - An infringement procedure will be formally launched against Sweden, over illegal wolf hunting, in violation of European legislation on protecting nature. The decision was confirmed on Thursday 27 January by the Commission and takes concrete action with regard to the threat made on 18 January last by the Commissioner for the Environment, Janez Potoènik (see EUROPE 10295).
The letter of formal notice will be sent to the Swedish authorities to request that they respect this legislation, particularly the Habitats Directive, 92/43/EEC. Sweden stands accused of having given approval on 15 January to wolf hunting, despite the low numbers of this protected species and ignoring the concerns expressed by the Commission to Sweden since June 2010, including at the political level.
The Swedish authorities recognised that wolf numbers are in a poor state and have made commitments to rectify this situation. Nonetheless, the Commission has doubts about the arbitrary ceiling of 210 set for the number of wolves in Sweden and questions the licensed hunting of a strictly protected species, without the narrow conditions for derogations set out by EU law being met and the fact that the licensed hunting occurs before the introduction of wolves to improve the gene pool, has taken place. The Commission also has fears that wolf hunting may become a multi-annual hunt and is critical that there is no management plan for this endangered species.
Outcry amongst the hunters. The European Hunting Federation immediately opposed the Commission action and affirmed that, “wolf hunting in Sweden is legal. According to the Habitats Directive, Sweden can authorise limited and strictly controlled hunting. This management measure has the great advantage of resolving the problem of inbreeding and is regarded as being better than more controversial conservation measures, such as removing wolves and putting them in different zones”. Trosten Mörner, the president of the Swedish Hunters Association emphasised that, “the main problem for wolves is not the number but their inbreeding and their genetic weaknesses. A translocation of wolves from outside Sweden must take place but this is not possible unless it is accepted at a local level”. He also said that the wolf is a major problem to people living in rural areas. It is up to the Swedish authorities to convince the Commission of the merits of their wolf conservation policy. (A.N./transl.fl)