The issue of illegal killing, trapping and trading of birds in Mediterranean Parties has been regularly on the Agenda of
the meetings of the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention in the recent past.
At its 30th meeting, in December 2010, the Standing Committee concluded that illegal killing of birds is still carried out,
and in some Contracting Parties it is a growing phenomenon; it realised that the implementation of national legislation is
often weak; that the issue also involves other transversal questions like the transit of the killed and captured birds
through third countries, the difficulty to identify the illegally killed species; the capture of endangered species; the
need for countries to co-operate and to work with nature conservation NGOs; the need for proper enforcement with
appropriate penalties at all levels.
Expressing its deep concern on the extent and negative trends of illegal taking and trading of birds in the European
continent, the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention has promoted the organisation of a "European Conference on
illegal killing of birds", held in Larnaca, Cyprus, on 6-8 July 2011.
The European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds, organised by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Game Fund
of Cyprus (Ministry of Interior) gathered over 100 participants representing various stakeholders, including Contracting
Parties and Observers to the Bern Convention, international organizations, national and local authorities, enforcement agencies,
nature conservation NGOs including hunting associations, scientific and research bodies, tourism industry, police
authorities and mass-media.
The Conference marked a turn-over in tackling the issue of illegal taking and trading of birds, by launching a long-term
process aiming at enhancing national and international cooperation and coordination in this field, fostering adequate
enforcement of existing legislation, sharing good practices and setting the basis for an appropriate monitoring process.
The Conference stressed that there is no single solution, but a combination of techniques, actions, measures and strategies
is urgently required as many birds species in Europe and worldwide are declining rapidly.
The key message from the Participants in the European Conference is Zero tolerance toward illegal killing of birds.
The European Conference delivered the
“Larnaca Declaration”, presented to the Press during a press conference,
as well as a Draft Recommendation to be submitted to the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention for possible adoption
at its 31st meeting (29 November – 2 December 2011).
Larnaca Declaration
Recommendation on Illegal Killing, Trapping and Trade of wild birds
-
Rec(2011)155E
Questionnaire for the reporting of Parties
to the Bern Convention on the implementation
of the action points listed in the Budapest
declaration on bird protection and power
lines -
T-PVS/Inf(2012)20
Questionnaire for the reporting of Parties
on illegal killing of birds -
T-PVS/Inf(2012)21
+33 390 21 51 51