BORCH'S
FALCONRY - English
By Christian de Coune, President of the IAF
The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention (of which IAF is a permanent observer since 1986) has been working out since 1993 a "Recommendation on the Introduction of Organisms Belonging to "Non-Native Species into the Environment". This Recommendation recommends that Contracting Parties:
"1. Prohibit the deliberate introduction ... of organisms belonging to non-native
species...2. Endeavour to prevent the accidental introduction of organisms belonging to non-
native species...."The preamble of the Resolution states :
"... "Species" in the sense of this Recommendation refers both to species and to lower taxonomic categories, subspecies, varieties, etc. (thus, for instance, the release of a different non-native subspecies into a given territory should also be considered as an introduction)".At the beginning of the negotiations, someone claimed that falconry could be a source of such introductions.
Since an early stage of the discussions, IAF had been drawing the attention of the Council of Europe to the fact that falconry is not a source of accidental introduction.
The Council of Europe agreed in writing to IAF's arguments.
The draft Recommendation gave rise to discussions at every meeting of the Standing Committee since 1993.
This time again there were discussions, amongst others about the fact that the Recommendation would exceeded the powers of the Standing Committee, several other remarks were made and the Committee decided to form a working group. The Delegate of the European Commission asked the president of the IAF to be a member of the said working group, which of course was accepted with gratitude.
After a few changes proposed by the said working group, the Recommendation was at long last adopted, it contains in its preamble the following:
"Considering that this Recommendation does not apply to:
- ...
- or the use of birds of prey in falconry;"It is easy to imagine the excessive use that could have been done of this Resolution to unduly create difficulties to the falconers if falconry had not been explicitly "immunised" from the prohibitions contained in the Recommendation.
This sentence is also a most welcomed recognition by the Council of Europe of falconry as an accepted fact.
This Recommendation is a very good one insofar as it addresses the serious problem of "invasive organisms". Everyone knows of the case of Rabbits in Australia, Muskrats in Europe, American Mink in Central Europe, Water-Hyacinth in tropical waters, etc...
BORCH'S
FALCONRY - English