AEWA Action Plan. Parties […] shall in particular:
AEWA Action Plan. 2.1 Legal measures […]
AEWA Action Plan. According to Paragraph 4.1.5 of the AEWA Action Plan “Parties shall develop and implement measures to reduce, and as far as possible eliminate, the use of poisoned baits”. The Action Plan does not explicitely request a legal prohibition of poisoned baits, but – more generally – the development and implementation of any measures which help reducing (and possibly eliminating) the use of poisoned baits.
AEWA Action Plan. Recognising the work of the Technical Committee over the past quadriennium towards developing guidance on the definition of periods of breeding and pre-nuptial migration for migratory African-Eurasian waterbirds (document AEWA/MOP Inf. 5.3).
AEWA Action Plan. Hunting methods Parties shall regulate the modes of taking (Para. 2.1.2 (b) Action Plan). The Action Plan does not provide any definition or list of prohibited or allowed modes or methods of hunting. Moreoever, Paragraph 2.1.2 refers to Column B populations only, thus lacking a reference to Column C populations. Taking into account that prohibited hunting methods are often non-selective (compare e.g Annex IV of the Birds Directive and the Bern Convention), and that hunting of birds belonging to Column C populations is supposed to be sustainable, such regulations should also refer to all Column C populations. Member states of the EU are bound by the Birds Directive. Consequently, hunting methods and modes for hunting migratory waterbirds – provided hunting waterbirds is allowed - are regulated in all national legislations (in compliance with Appendix IV to the Birds Directive). In Africa, however, 17 % of the countries have no established regulations on methods for hunting waterbirds although hunting is in principle allowed by the legislation. An additional 22 % prohibit hunting (any hunting/ waterbirds/ Column B populations), which is why hunting methods are either not regulated or do not apply. All other countries have legal restrictions on hunting methods, which, however differ in quality. Hunting methods are regulated in basically all Eurasian countries that allow hunting of waterbirds (with one exception). Some countries which, in addition to AEWA, are bound by the Bern Convention made clear that hunting methods are regulated in accordance with its Appendix IV. Recommendations: The Technical Committee elaborates a definition or enumeration of examples for the term “hunting modes” used in Paragraph 2.1.2 (b) of the Action Plan. Annex IV of the Birds Directive or the Bern Convention might be used as a model. This will provide elaborate guidance to Parties and help to harmonise the restrictions on hunting methods especially in all those countries that are not covered by the Birds Directive or the Bern Convention. The elaborated definition/ enumerative list might be incorporated in the text of the Action Plan in order to provide it with legal force; however Parties may also wish to provide such guidance by Resolution or by completing the Conservation Guidelines on sustainable harvest of migratory waterbirds. The Technical Committee reviews Paragraphs 2.1.2 and 4.1 of the Action Plan and, if needed, provides advice to the Meeting of the Parties on how to am...
AEWA Action Plan. 2.1.2 Parties with populations listed in Table 1 shall regulate the taking of birds and eggs of all populations listed in column B of Table 1. The object of such legal measures shall be to maintain or contribute to the restoration of those populations to a favourable conservation status and to ensure, on the basis of the best available knowledge of population dynamics, that any taking or other use is sustainable. Such legal measures, subject to paragraph 2.1.3 below, shall in particular: […] prohibit the possession or utilisation of, and trade in, birds and eggs of the populations which have been taken in contravention of any prohibition laid down pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, as well as the possession or utilisation of, and trade in, any parts of such birds and their eggs. In the case of Column B populations trade in birds and eggs shall be prohibited when the bird or egg was taken in contravention of the restrictions on hunting laid down pursuant to the Action Plan. This means AEWA allows trade in birds which have been taken in accordance with regulations that aim for maintaining or contributing to the restoration of Column B populations to a favourable conservation status, such as e.g. hunting seasons, bag limits etc. Differently from Paragraph 2.1.1 (c) which concerns trade in Column A populations Paragraph 2.1.2 (d) does not mention “readily recognisable parts or derivatives of such birds”, but only “any parts of such birds”. The Parties may wish to amend the Action Plan and add “derivatives” in the wording of Paragraph 2.1.2 (d). Is trade in Column B populations prohibited? Graph 51: Is trade prohibited for Column B populations taken against hunting regulations in Range States/ Parties/ Non-Parties? (question 30) Asked if trade in birds that were taken against hunting regulations is prohibited, 65 % of the Parties informed that this was the case (+9 % partly), while 19 % made clear that trade in birds from Column B populations is not prohibited. The option “partly” was in most cases chosen because the prohibition did not refer to all Column B populations or did not include all possible “items” of trade, being (living) birds as well as parts of such birds and their eggs. Graph 52: Is trade prohibited for Column B populations taken against hunting regulations in Africa, Eurasia and the EU? (question 30) Figures differ quite prominently between the regions. While trade prohibitions are in place in 90 % (+10 % partly) of the EU countries,...
AEWA Action Plan. 4.1.1 Parties shall cooperate to ensure that their hunting legislation implements the principle of sustainable use as envisaged in this Action Plan, taking into account the full geographical range of the waterbird populations concerned and their life history characteristics.
AEWA Action Plan. 4.1.1 Parties shall cooperate to ensure that their hunting legislation implements the principle of sustainable use as envisaged in this Action Plan, taking into account the full geographical range of the waterbird populations concerned and their life history characteristics. According to the AEWA Action Plan Parties shall cooperate to ensure that their hunting legislation implements the principle of sustainable use as envisaged in the Action Plan. This leads to two questions: What kind of international cooperation does this provision aim for and When is this realised? What kind of international cooperation is aimed for? In principle international cooperation towards an “AEWA-proof” hunting legislation in individual countries is ensured by the Agreement itself, which provides the political platform for cooperation and also specific actions through its Action Plan to be implemented by Parties in the respective countries. Following the above argumentation the aim of Paragraph 4.1.1 to implement the principle of sustainable use as envisaged in the Action Plan would be reached as soon as Parties have implemented all specific requirements on hunting legislation that can be found in the Action Plan, namely in the Paragraphs 2.1. and 4.1. Such specific requirements, like e.g. a ban on hunting for all Column A populations, are evidently based on an approach which takes into account the full geographic range of the waterbird populations and, as far as data allow for this, also their life history characteristics. Moreover, they provide Parties with an elaborated “check-list” towards the implementation of the principle of sustainable hunting. However, the question remains whether Paragraph 4.1.1 aims for additional cooperative efforts going further than the implementation of all (other) specific requirements on hunting mentioned in the Action Plan by the individual countries.
AEWA Action Plan. 4.1.3 Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing a reliable and harmonised system for the collection of harvest data in order to assess the annual harvest of populations listed in Table 1. They shall provide the Agreement secretariat with estimates of the total annual take for each population, when available. AEWA Conservation Guidelines on sustainable harvest of migratory waterbirds: In order to ensure a sustainable exploitation of waterbirds and the maintainance of populations in a favourable conservation status international cooperation is needed, as is a ‘harvest framework’ within which Range States may operate. Essential to the regular review of harvest frameworks is information on the size and composition of hunting harvests. This information should be collected, where possible, by individual Range States, and made available centrally for international analysis. An annual survey by means of questionnaires to hunters should be a high priority for implementation in each Range State. This is useful in providing standardised information on both hunting success and hunter effort. Such questionnaires may form an integral part of a licensing system for hunters, and should at least include the date of the xxxx, location and, for each species, the number taken or shot but not collected. Of secondary importance is a ‘Parts Survey’ which provides a sample of wings, tails or other parts of the birds shot during the hunting season. These parts are identified to species, sex and age, providing valuable data on the composition of the waterbird harvest. Such data can be used to assess the degree of hunting ‘pressure’ on the different sexes and age-components, information of great value in assessing harvesting impact on particular populations. These data also complement and extend the information gained from hunter questionnaire surveys. Ideally, parts should be collected from hunters throughout the hunting season, and may be deposited at, or mailed to, regional collection points. An alternative approach is to rely on a small number of purposely-trained hunters who examine and report on the bags themselves. Training, regular experience and identification materials are needed for operating a Parts Survey successfully. To achieve compatibility in methods and reporting for both harvest and parts surveys, it is best to adopt minimum, internationally agreed standards for recording in the AEWA area. Also, it is vital that a summary of the information gained is repor...
AEWA Action Plan. 4.1.4 Parties shall develop and implement measures to reduce, and as far as possible eliminate, illegal taking.
