13 Jan 2017 “HOW TO MANAGE OVERABUNDANT SPECIES: THE EXAMPLE OF GOOSE MANAGEMENT” – EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, STRASBOURG 17/01/2017
On 17th January 2017, the European Parliament Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside” will host a debate entitled: “How to Manage Overabundant Species: The Example of Goose Management” at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
The meeting will discuss how adaptive harvest management can inform the conservation and management of Europe’s goose populations, in particular, for abundant and increasing populations of geese. The concept of adaptive harvest management in Europe emerged recently from the AEWA Guidelines on Sustainable Harvest of Migratory Waterbirds and work under AEWA on the Pink-footed Goose and the Taiga Bean Goose, although the process is successfully used in North America.
The debate, organised by the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE), will be chaired by MEP Karl-Heinz Florenz, President of European Parliament Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside” and introduced by Gilbert de Turckheim, President of OMPO, the European Institute for the Management of Wild Birds and their Habitats.
The panel will be composed of Professor Jesper Madsen, Aarhus University, Denmark, who is one of Europe’s leading experts on goose conservation and management. Dr Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of the African Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), will be present to discuss AEWA and the European Goose Management Platform, which was recently established under this important agreement. Not only linked to better management of the harvest of migratory goose populations, the European Goose Management Platform is expected to deal with the coordinated conservation and management of Europe’s 5.2-5.7 million geese, comprising of 8 species in 24 populations, most of which are increasing. Finally, given the important role of hunters in the conservation and management of Europe’s goose populations, the Panel will feature Mr. Willy Schraen, President of the Fédération Nationale des Chasseurs de France.
Of particular interest to the European Commission and other institutions, the meeting will discuss how adaptive harvest management can be applied to all waterbird species in Europe as an innovative measure for their conservation and management. With regard to the populations of overabundant bird species, such as geese, there is a potentially important role for adaptive harvest management to reduce ongoing conflicts associated with agriculture, air safety and biodiversity.
Dr Michl Ebner, President of FACE, Board Members of the European Parliament Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside” and Members of the European Parliament from the major political groups will be attending the debate. The meeting will also feature scientists and representatives from European hunting associations.