In 1979 agreement was reached by EU countries to restrict hunting of various species of wild birds. Yet the French LPO (bird protection league) says that forty years later in several instances France has yet to comply with the directive.
Some 68 species deemed at risk are still hunted in France, including 20 on the international endangered list. This is against an average of 20-30 in the rest of Europe.
The LPO also wants to put a stop to some "traditional" methods of trapping birds, such as the use of "glu" as we reported here a couple of months ago. The method has already been banned in Italy, Spain and Malta, but not yet in the French departments where it still goes on.
Thirdly the league wants to prevent the hunting of migratory birds beyond the end of January, whereas chasseurs want the season to include February. The league claims to have asked the state to ban this some 12 times and have now exhausted all internal avenues. Consequently they are to ask the EU commission to remind France of its obligations under the EU directive. It is no use, they say, to preach France's leading position in pursuit of bio-diversity and fail to set a good example on this measure of protection of wild life.
