In a European Union enlarged in May 2005 to embrace 25 Member States, how does the principle of subsidiarity, i.e. that “ Europe” should only regulate those matters which are best dealt with at European or international level, apply to hunting?

In Europe, we are fortunate to have a wide diversity of landscapes, flora and fauna. But this diversity also applies to human cultures and traditions, and constitutes a great and valuable asset . The historical development of our Continent over many centuries has indeed resulted in considerable differences in hunting culture, tradition and practice. Without drawing strict boundaries, it is possible to distinguish in a " Europe of hunting" four models or traditions.

In Northern Europe, hunting is probably practiced in its most “natural” form. Even today, it is primarily intended to "generate food". Meat from game – small and large - is considered a similar natural resource as wild berries, mushrooms or fish. Hunting is popular and democratic, and is supported by all political parties, including the Green. Compared to the total population, the Nordic countries have the highest proportion of hunters in Europe – up 1 hunter per 20 citizens.

In Southern Europe, hunting is very much a social event: what counts is enjoying nature as well as the company of friends. Here too what nature provides for is harvested – in the first place the many birds migrating through each year. Management is thus often focusing more on habitats rather than on species, even if an evolution towards a more integrated approach can be observed. Hunting is widespread: up to 1 out of 40 citizens is a hunter.

In the Anglo-Saxon countries, hunting is seen much more as a sport, and this expression has not such a negative connotation as in other countries. It incorporates a kind of "fair play" towards the game, in giving it a good chance to escape. That’s why a difficult shot on a highflying pheasant or woodpigeon is often much more appreciated that shooting a Roebuck from a high seat. Even the behaviour of a hunter towards other hunters, dogs and non-hunters (not necessarily in that order), has to be “sportive” or that of a gentleman. These high standards are also expressed in professional habitat and game management, providing jobs for many game-keepers. About 1 out of 60 citizens is a hunter.

In Central Europe, hunting is marked by a long tradition and strict rules, probably best described with the German concept of "Waidgerechtigkeit", even if such traditions may evolve and are quite often not as ancient as claimed. The fact is however that hunting in these countries is well regulated, sometimes maybe over-regulated. Hunting is above all management of larger game species. The combination of these factors results in a relatively low proportion of hunters, in average 1 to 300.

But despite this diversity in hunting practices - from Lapland to Andalusia and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea - there are also many common features.

A passion for nature

Above all, hunters – wherever they are - have a deep interest in and love for Nature. They always try to learn more about wild species, how to identify them, their behaviour, their requirements. And this not only for game species, but just as well for non-huntable animals and for plants. It is this combination of knowledge, of active interest in wildlife management and of love for nature in a wide sense which distinguishes hunters from most other outdoor lovers who too often experience the natural environment merely as a scenic theatre for their activities, or who focus on particular species without looking into the complexity of the ecosystem as a whole.

As mentioned earlier, hunting in most of its forms incorporates a strong social dimension, the aspect of being together with like-minded people. In such a social context, specific traditions and rules might develop - such as the "Waidmannssprache" in the German speaking countries, which is a technical and sometimes romantically inspired language, often quite difficult to understand for non-hunters and therefore risking to appear peculiar to outsiders who lack appreciation for such traditions.

Another very important common denominator is the close link between hunters and their hunting dogs. For most hunters, regardless of their background or specific hunting interest, the work of their dog or dogs is an essential element of the satisfaction they get out their hunting activity. And the existence of international kennel clubs and the popularity of international field trials illustrates these links between hunters across national and cultural borders.

Hunting, as a recreational activity, also brings people of different social classes, cultures and religions closer together. An example of this is given by the three hunters’ associations of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a country until very recently deeply divided by a horrible internal war. Despite the fact that each of these associations represents one of the communities involved in this war, they agreed in 2003 to jointly become a member of FACE (Federation of Associations for Conservation and Hunting of the EU), where they will speak with one voice, in a spirit of co-operation and mutual understanding.

Commitment to the cause

Finally we have to underline all the work done, entirely on a voluntary basis, by hunters for wildlife conservation, game management, habitat restoration, and so on. This commitment to conservation often implies direct and personal ties to the local hunting area, the countryside and its people: other hunters, but also farmers, foresters, nature lovers, etc. It is difficult to assess the significance of this voluntary work for conservation, since it is rarely well documented. It is however clear that this commitment of hunters to habitat management and to biodiversity is just as valuable as the 3 billion Euro spent by hunters in Europe for their activity, or the more than 120,000 full-time jobs generated by hunting, manly in rural areas.

The European Commission, the steering force of the E.U. in Brussels, as well as the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, are increasingly aware of the importance of hunting for conservation and for rural development , as well as of the socio-cultural diversity of hunting in the different Member States. That is why there is no European hunting policy as such and why the European institutions believe that the principle of subsidiarity we mentioned earlier should apply as much as possible to hunting. There is therefore and there will be no uniform “European hunting law”. There are however a number of legal instruments and policies that constitute a framework with a considerable impact on hunting since these need to be transposed by all Member States into national law. For all new countries joining the E.U., these texts are part of the so-called "Acquis communautaire" , but the Council of Europe’s BERN Convention is another of these “framework” laws dealing with wildlife and natural habitats.

Different places, same principles

A last common feature for the 7 million European hunters is that for at least 75 % of them, hunting takes only place in their own, local area, close to their village or town. But as a consequence of the availability of more leisure time, the economic climate and – last but not least – the interest for other regions, game species or hunting methods, more and more hunters will from time to time hunt abroad.

Hunting “abroad” is by definition no absolute concept. Indeed, a hunter from a small country or a border region may well hunt regularly on a “local” site and properly manage there “his” game-species, and nevertheless practice hunting in a country different from the one he is living in. And in the same way, a hunter from a large country may be considered as a “hunting tourist” in his own country when he is invited to hunt on an estate more or less far from his home, one which he doesn't manage himself and for which he is not familiar with the landscape, the wildlife or the local practices and customs. But hunting - whether it is practiced by a hunter in his own village or on his own land, or else in a foreign or even exotic country – needs in all cases to respect certain main principles for wildlife management and wise and sustainable use, as expressed in IUCN’s Policy Statement on the Sustainable Use of Wild Living Resources adopted by the 2nd World Conservation Congress at Amman in 2000 and the CBD Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity agreed in 2004. This principle has already been expressed in Resolution 882 on the importance of shooting for Europe’s rural regions, adopted in 1987 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

May 2006. Dr Yves Lecocq is Secretary-General of FACE and Co-ordinator of WISPER, the Wild Species Resources Working Group of the Regional Group for Europe of SUSG. Rue F. Pelletier 82, B-1030 Brussels ylecocqface-europe.org

Sustainable, June 2006, contents page