Hunting rules made a loop – Newspaper Kommersant No. 215 (7416) of 11/21/2022

In the Ulyanovsk region, they intend to allow hunting using loops, light devices, thermal imagers and night vision devices, as well as lift the ban on the extraction of female ungulates of wild animals that have offspring of the current year. The draft decree of the governor, which cancels the corresponding paragraph of the previous decree, which imposed bans, has been prepared by the regional Ministry of Natural Resources. The department notes that they are forced to do this in order to bring them into line with federal regulations. Environmentalists categorically opposed the lifting of the bans, the document caused a wide negative response. The profile committee of the State Duma does not agree with the position of the regional Ministry of Natural Resources and, if the decree is signed, they intend to protest it through the prosecutor’s office.

On Friday, on the page of the public and anti-corruption expertise of the official Internet portal of the governor and the government of the Ulyanovsk region, a draft governor’s decree was posted, which canceled previously imposed bans on certain types of hunting and on the use of special devices for hunting.

The document cancels the paragraph of the governor’s decree on the types and parameters of permitted hunting, signed on March 3, 2021 by the former governor Sergey Morozov. According to this paragraph, a ban was previously introduced on the extraction of female ungulates with offspring of the current year, on the use of any light devices, thermal imagers and night vision devices for the extraction of hunting resources, as well as on the use of loops for the extraction of hunting resources. Now all these restrictions are lifted. The project also extends the hunting season and allows hunting for gray crows within the specified time frame. The explanatory note to the draft decree noted that the changes are necessary to bring the previous decree into line with the federal law on hunting (No. 209-FZ of July 24, 2009) and the Hunting Rules approved by order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation (No. 477 of July 24, 2020) .

Environmental activist Natalia Lazareva immediately drew attention to the draft decree, expressing doubts about the legality of lifting the bans and their contradiction with the meaning and spirit of Russian and international legislation on hunting and nature protection. According to her, allowing hunting for females with offspring of the current year is cruel and irresponsible in relation to animals and nature itself, and the use of a loop, which is considered an “indiscriminate” tool, leads to the fact that in 75% of cases completely different animals die in it. animals, loops were banned by the Berne Convention for the Protection of Wildlife. Hunting with thermal cameras and other modern devices cannot, in her opinion, be considered hunting.

Information about the draft decree quickly spread in social networks and Telegram channels, causing a wide public outcry and dissatisfaction with the lifting of the bans. The ex-governor of the region, State Duma deputy Sergei Morozov also reacted to the messages, “sharing the negative assessments”, calling the planned changes “blatant disgrace” in his Telegram channel and promising to raise the issue in the State Duma, the government of the Russian Federation and the Prosecutor General’s Office.

As a result, the draft decree was removed from the examination page by noon on Friday. The regional Ministry of Natural Resources explained to Kommersant that this was done “for a purely technical” reason: it has not yet passed the necessary approvals from the control and supervisory authorities, “but its text will remain the same, nothing will change.” “We held consultations with the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, during which it was explained that the previous decree contradicts the current legislation and, if changes are not made, prosecutorial response measures can be taken,” the press service of the regional Ministry of Natural Resources responded to a request from Kommersant.

It should be noted that in a number of regions, by decrees of governors in 2022, bans were introduced on the production of female ungulates that have offspring of the current year. Thus, a review of restrictions by regions showed that in at least nine regions there was a ban on the harvest of female wild boars with offspring up to one year old, and in the Kurgan region the ban also applies to female moose. In addition, the latest edition (dated April 5, 2022) of the Hunting Rules notes that it is the heads of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation that “determine the types of permitted hunting”, and “in cases provided for by the rules, determine the terms of hunting” and “allowable for the use of hunting tools and other restrictions” (p. 16). Also, the Hunting Rules expressly prohibit “the use of any light devices, thermal imagers, night vision devices, except in certain cases” (clause 62.9), as well as the use of “loops for the extraction of ungulates, bears, fur animals, birds” with the exception of certain cases (clause 62.9). 62.24).

First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Ecology, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Vladimir Burmatov (ER) disagrees with the position of the regional Ministry of Natural Resources and believes that the previous decree has no contradictions with federal legislation. In an interview with Kommersant, he confirmed that the federal Hunting Rules have already established prohibitions (with a list of exceptions) on the use of thermal imagers, other special equipment, on the use of loops, and also given the right to the heads of regions to determine a list of restrictions. The deputy noted that he had already submitted the draft decree “for work”, because the proposed changes seem to him “strange and unmotivated”, “this is a clear overkill.” “These cancellations have already caused a great resonance in different parts of the country, and we will definitely propose to modify it so as not to worsen the situation that was formed by the previous version of the decree… The document needs to be corrected, and it would be better if the regional authorities do it. And if they don’t, then we will involve the prosecutor’s office,” Mr. Burmatov said.

Sergey Titov, Ulyanovsk