Published on 2016, july, 25th – Author: Coline Mionnet
New French measures about wolves
A ministerial decree was reeased on July 7 authorizing a maximum destruction of 36 wolves for 2016/2017 period. It also sets a 27 wolves threshold before September 30, 2016. Also on July 7, the prospective assessment of wolves situation in France in 2025-2030 was launched by Barbara Pompili, Secretary of State for the French Environment Minister, in charge of biodiversity.
A controversial ministerial decree
The decree was adopted even though the public consultation about this project had raised nearly 90% of negative opinions and though the victims number of wolves decreased in France from 2847 to 2491 from 2015 to 2016, according to “Info Loup” Nr11, letter published by the Auvergne Rhone-Alpes region.
Although the decree authorizes a maximum destruction of 36 wolves between 2016 and 2017, including 27 maximum before September 30, it forecasts that defensive shooting could be authorized if these thresholds are achieved before the foreseen dates. Indeed, a new decree may modify these thresholds « based on available data describing the biological status of wolves in the country at the end of winter 2015-2016 and enabling an assessment of this situation before September 30, 2016. »
The situation assessment of wolves in two parts
The prospective assessment of the wolves situation in France by 2025-2030 will have two sections : the realization of a collective expertise to gather scientific data about wolves in France and the development of a strategy for 2025-2030 in consultation with all relevant partners.
To prepare this strategy, a working group will be formed involving representatives of national organizations related to wolves, Ministries of Environment and Agriculture, the National Office for Hunting and Wild Fauna and the National Museum of Natural History.
The goal ? To allow the establishment of a dialogue with other concerned stakeholders : scientists, State employees, nature defenders and users, socio-professional players, livestock farmers or territories managers. « Big predators are essential to ecosystems. Therefore we must have a strategy, » said Barbara Pompili.
Troupeau aux 7 Laux © Xavier Canillo.
According to the Secretary of State for the Environment Ministry, the expertise purpose is to « to identify the viability conditions of wolves in France » and to make scenarios on its future territorial expansion. Two objectives are targeted : the species protection and the socially and economically acceptable coexistence between wolves and human activities.
Barbara Pompili also added that consequences of the wolf return, especially on livestock farming, « must find appropriate answers, beyond the specific measures of compensation and authorizations of scaring or defensive shooting. » She wants to set up a differentiated management of species by territories depending on farms sensitivity to wolf predation.
According to her, « the cost of damage compensation to livestock farms is growing every year, risking in the near future to reach levels that could not be financed anymore », hence the interest to determine evolution scenarios of the species on the territory. There are also new means of support to breeders to invent, in order to ensure pastoralism upholding.
The collective expertise and working group results are expected in early 2017 and will help to define work areas to implement in the coming years.
Photo: Licence Creative Commons via Pixabay.com
To conclude her speech, Barbara Pompili announced that compensation for damages caused by wolves, halted since the beginning of the year, would be unblocked. The amount of 710 208 euros, corresponding to 580 files, should be released « soon ». In addition, the balance of the protective measures aid put in place in 2015 should also be deposited before the end of July.
Sources
Speech by Barbara Pompili on July 7, 2016 (French).
Summary of Public consultation about the draft decree (French).