EUROPEAN UNION DECIDES TO SUSPEND IMPORTS OF GRIZZLY HUNTING TROPHIES FROM
BRITISH COLUMBIA
London, 19th January 2004; The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and
the Raincoast Conservation Society today applauded the European Unionıs
(EUıs) recent decision to suspend all imports of grizzly bear hunting
trophies from the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC).
The unanimous decision of all 15 EU member states was based on the failure
of the BC government to implement crucial measures to protect its grizzly
bear population despite several promises to do so. Under both EU and
international legislation, imports can only be allowed if they do not have a
detrimental impact on the species concerned. Most foreign hunters who kill
BCıs grizzlies in the sport hunt come from the United States and EU nations.
Wendy Elliott, EIAıs bear campaigner said: ³BCıs grizzly bears are under
attack from all sides with a government thatıs eliminating or reducing
regulations which protect their habitat, whilst allowing a sport hunt that
scientists have been warning for decades is unsustainable. This decision
isa signal that the BC governmentıs consistent failure to protect one of its
most enigmatic species will not go ignored by the international community.²
Chris Genovali, the Executive Director of BC based Raincoast added: ³The
plight of BCıs grizzly bears is being held up to international scrutiny as
the BC government has proven incapable of managing the provinceıs grizzly
bears. We commend the EU for taking this step to further the protection of
grizzly bears in BC.³
Last June, the EU informed the BC government that for imports to continue,
it must implement the recommendations of its Independent Scientific Panel,
which included setting up grizzly bear no-hunting reserves of protected
habitat throughout the province and aggressively addressing human access
into BCıs wildlands. However, for the vast majority of these
recommendations, no progress has occurred and several decisions that are
contrary to the recommendations have been made.
Elliott continued: ³The BC government has consistently put the interests of
industry before those of its wildlife. This import suspension, however, is a
firm indication that any further delays on implementation all of the Panelıs
recommendations, particularly the establishment of no-hunting reserves of
protected habitat, are simply unacceptable.²