Work
18.October 2005 - 00:00
The wolf population in Finland
The wolf is among the species of large wild animals which are protected under Annex IV(a), to Directive 92/43/EEC(1) (the ‘Habitats Directive’). Pursuant to the Directive, strict protection measures apply to wolves, including a ban on their deliberate killing. According to a previous statement by the Commission, the annexes to the Directive may be amended only on the basis of reliable scientific data and research.
In Finland, an exception applies to wolf populations in reindeer-breeding areas. Outside such areas, it has been possible to kill wolves only in cases where no other satisfactory solution was available. The Commission has specially examined hunting licences issued on this basis, with the result that the EU has brought proceedings against Finland before the Court of Justice of the EC for granting wolf-hunting licences on insufficiently strong grounds. According to the Commission, Finland should accept a population of as many as 1000 wolves and should not issue licences to kill them anywhere outside reindeer-breeding areas.
In Finland it is estimated that there are currently less than 200 wolves which pose a real threat, for example, to livestock. In 2004 the Finnish State spent EUR 70000 on compensation for damage caused by wolves — approximately twice the figure for 2003. And even then more was being spent on compensation for damage caused by wolves than for that caused by all other species of large predators put together. Most recently, at the beginning of October two wolves attacked a cattle enclosure in Längelmäki and injured two cattle. News reports of this kind are quite common. Nor can the threat which wolves pose to human beings be entirely disregarded.
How many documented ‘near miss’ situations and actual cases of injury caused by wolves to people and livestock will be required before the Commission changes its view on the size of the wolf population in Finland?
Is it really true that, no matter what wolves may do, no licence to kill them can be issued outside reindeer-breeding areas? If the Commission upholds its view that wolves may be killed outside reindeer-breeding areas only in cases where no other satisfactory solution is available, when will this condition be fulfilled?
(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
An answer given by Mr. Dimas on behalf of the Commission
The Commission has at no time made any independent assessment of the wolf populations, but has instead accepted the figures presented by the Finnish Government. It has also agreed with the current recognition by the Finnish Environment Ministry that the wolf is an endangered species in Finland. At no time has the Commission set a figure for the desirable number of wolves in Finland. The figure cited by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland has apparently been derived from the IUCN criteria that Finland itself voluntarily uses as the basis of its threatened species evaluations.
The uncontrolled killing of wolves does not respect Finnish commitments under either Community law or under wider international agreements. At the same time, the Commission has never declared that it is not possible to kill wolves outside the reindeer herding area. It is fully recognized that some management measures may be required and the Habitats Directive makes provision for a derogation from the normal protection requirements to permit the control of individual animals where they are recognized, inter alia, to cause significant damage to agricultural and other interests. It lies within the competence of the national authorities to take appropriate measures, with due regard to Community legislation. Finally, the Commission does not define in what parts of the country, outside the reindeer herding area, these permits are given. This decision is at the discretion of the national competent authorities, i.e. the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
1 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
2 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992
The wolf is among the species of large wild animals which are protected under Annex IV(a), to Directive 92/43/EEC(1) (the ‘Habitats Directive’). Pursuant to the Directive, strict protection measures apply to wolves, including a ban on their deliberate killing. According to a previous statement by the Commission, the annexes to the Directive may be amended only on the basis of reliable scientific data and research.
In Finland, an exception applies to wolf populations in reindeer-breeding areas. Outside such areas, it has been possible to kill wolves only in cases where no other satisfactory solution was available. The Commission has specially examined hunting licences issued on this basis, with the result that the EU has brought proceedings against Finland before the Court of Justice of the EC for granting wolf-hunting licences on insufficiently strong grounds. According to the Commission, Finland should accept a population of as many as 1000 wolves and should not issue licences to kill them anywhere outside reindeer-breeding areas.
In Finland it is estimated that there are currently less than 200 wolves which pose a real threat, for example, to livestock. In 2004 the Finnish State spent EUR 70000 on compensation for damage caused by wolves — approximately twice the figure for 2003. And even then more was being spent on compensation for damage caused by wolves than for that caused by all other species of large predators put together. Most recently, at the beginning of October two wolves attacked a cattle enclosure in Längelmäki and injured two cattle. News reports of this kind are quite common. Nor can the threat which wolves pose to human beings be entirely disregarded.
How many documented ‘near miss’ situations and actual cases of injury caused by wolves to people and livestock will be required before the Commission changes its view on the size of the wolf population in Finland?
Is it really true that, no matter what wolves may do, no licence to kill them can be issued outside reindeer-breeding areas? If the Commission upholds its view that wolves may be killed outside reindeer-breeding areas only in cases where no other satisfactory solution is available, when will this condition be fulfilled?
(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
An answer given by Mr. Dimas on behalf of the Commission
The Commission has at no time made any independent assessment of the wolf populations, but has instead accepted the figures presented by the Finnish Government. It has also agreed with the current recognition by the Finnish Environment Ministry that the wolf is an endangered species in Finland. At no time has the Commission set a figure for the desirable number of wolves in Finland. The figure cited by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland has apparently been derived from the IUCN criteria that Finland itself voluntarily uses as the basis of its threatened species evaluations.
The uncontrolled killing of wolves does not respect Finnish commitments under either Community law or under wider international agreements. At the same time, the Commission has never declared that it is not possible to kill wolves outside the reindeer herding area. It is fully recognized that some management measures may be required and the Habitats Directive makes provision for a derogation from the normal protection requirements to permit the control of individual animals where they are recognized, inter alia, to cause significant damage to agricultural and other interests. It lies within the competence of the national authorities to take appropriate measures, with due regard to Community legislation. Finally, the Commission does not define in what parts of the country, outside the reindeer herding area, these permits are given. This decision is at the discretion of the national competent authorities, i.e. the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
1 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
2 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992