Roughly translated by TWIN Observer
The risk that there will be more poaching of wolves has increased after the EU Commission’s decision to end a targeted hunting of wolves in winter. Maria Falkevik, carnivore manager at County Administrative Board of Värmland, believes that is so.
The Environmental Protection Agency today would have made a decision on which territory the hunt would be conducted, but it has been stopped because the EU is opposed to the decision, which did not come as a surprise to Maria Falkevik.
Yesterday EU Commission made an announcement that there will be no targeted hunting of wolves in winter in the territory where there are an identified genetically damaged wolves in Sweden. This despite the fact that researchers in Sweden show that it would increase the chances of getting a viable wolf population.
But now, therefore, the European Commission put a stop to this. If Sweden were to go against the EU commissioner it would not be favorable for predator management in the country because we risk losing the sovereignty to determine the licensed hunting practices of our predators such as lynx and bear.
It would also require heavy fines if the EU court rules against Sweden in a lawsuit. Instead, the EU believes that Sweden should look at other options that are likely to take much longer to implement to reduce genetic deficiencies of wolves.