Hunting system in Latvia

Linda Dombrovska, Latvian Hunters’ Association

February 11, 2011.

Hunting Rights

Hunting rights belong to the landowner who can lease these rights to a third party.

Problem

The system does not provide that a landowner has any obligations to

allow hunting on his/her property, thus creating sanctuaries of “white

spots” for animals where their populations cannot be managed, causing

damages to agriculture and forestry in the neighboring areas.

Agreement

To avoid these “white spots” in their hunting area, the hunters have to track the landowners to be able to get the agreement that would let them to use the hunting rights.

Problems

- There can be as many as 600 agreements to be managed - In many cases landowners cannot be located as they live abroad or in

the city - Landowners do not like hunting in general - Landowners do not like the particular hunting club or particular

hunters for personal reasons - Pay for the lease and be responsible for the damages

Management of Agreements

These agreements are registered by State Forest Service

Problems

1. Considerable number of agreements that has to be managed not only by hunters’, but also by SFS.

2. The owners of the land change constantly and it is not always possible to follow the changes.

3. The agreements are of poor quality both in terms of the content and legal form - disputes and legal proceedings occur.

Damages

The user of hunting rights is responsible for the damages done by game animals to agriculture and forestry, if it is not said otherwise in the agreement.

Landowner will get no compensation for the damages if there is not an agreement with a hunting club.

Game does not belong to anybody.

Hunting Area

Hunting Act defines minimal territory that is required for shooting roe deer, red deer, wild boar and moose.

- 200 ha - roe deer

- 1000 ha - wild boar, red deer hinds and calves

- 2000 ha - red deer stags

- 2500 ha - moose

Hunting Area (2)

Around 2000 hunting areas.

Possible to shoot a fox, a beaver or a duck even on the hunting ground of 0,1 ha!!!!

“White Spots”

Are created due to the fact that hunters have no access to certain areas due to different reasons.

It is estimated that at the moment only 74 % of the whole territory where there could be hunting is used

for this purpose.

New Ideas?

Suggestions to change the system, but NOT POSSIBLE as:

- Historical hunting managed by certain hunting clubs

- Smaller hunting areas within bigger ones – merging is not an option

- Territories that are not managed by anybody – how to choose the manager?

Thank you!

Linda Dombrovska, +37129415834

Linda.Dombrovska@gmail.com