BASC is calling on those who shoot to respond to the European Commission’s public opinion survey on the “fitness for purpose” of the birds and habitats directive.
The directives are the European laws that, among other things, regulate shooting across the European Union and recognise sustainable shooting as an important part of nature conservation. Merging these directives would lay them open to wholesale amendment and could weaken the protection for nature – including quarry species – and thus have a negative impact on shooting and reduce its conservation benefits.
The Commission’s public opinion survey is a key step in this process. BASC recommends that shooters respond by saying that both directives are fit for purpose and should not be weakened or merged. Shooters can access the short questionnaire as well as instructions on a model response on the BASC website at http://bit.ly/BASCN2K .
Alan Jarrett, Chairman of BASC, said:
“ It’s important that we get a good response to the Commission’s questionnaire in favour of the directives in their current form. Weakening the protection they give nature could impact badly on shooting as well as providing opportunities for our those who oppose shooting to weaken or delete the recognition European law gives to sustainable shooting.”
Mike Sherman, Vice Chairman of BASC, said:
“When these directives were first introduced their recognition of shooting was a considerable victory. I call on every shooter to give the five minutes it takes to get a really good response to this survey. It could be critical to the future of shooting in Europe.”