de Rossa report on the illegal hunting and trading of wildlife meat passed by EP

international | environment | press release Friday January 16, 2004 15:21 by allen

Pointing out that, after narcotics and arms, the trade in wild animals is the most valuable illegal trade, Dublin Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa this afternoon urged the European Commission to take a range of integrated actions to halt the hunting and trading of wildlife meat for human consumption, also known as ‘bushmeat’. Mr. De Rossa said that both EU and national development aid policies must be ‘conservation audited’ to ensure that they supported the efforts of local governments to eliminate the hunting and trading of wild animals, while also assisting local communities to obtain other affordable sources of protein.

Mr. De Rossa has authored a report on the trade in bushmeat passed in the European Parliament today.

“The trade in wild animal meat for human consumption is just one part of a wildlife trade which includes ivory, fur and the trade in certain animal body parts – a trade which threatens biodiversity and the ecological balance of areas such as Central and West Africa.

“Although wild animals have traditionally formed part of the diet of indigenous communities in parts of Africa and elsewhere, various factors ranging from modern forms of hunting to the absence of affordable alternative protein sources now mean that animals such as the Great Ape are now facing extinction.

“It is clear that there is a close link between poverty, economic and social development, and bushmeat consumption. That is why the issue must be addressed in the context of overall development strategy and poverty alleviation.

“At a national level, EU governments must ensure that their development aid policies are ‘conservation-audited’ to support biodiversity and habitat retention.

“At a European level, I am urging the European Commission to integrate an EU Strategy and Action Plan on Bushmeat in the context of implementing the EU Biodiversity Action Plan, with a clear unilateral objective aimed at conserving biodiversity and protecting those species threatened by the bushmeat trade. Sufficient funding must be made available to implement this objective.

“In the course of developing this Strategy and Action Plan, the Commission must encourage full stakeholder participation involving local populations, civil society, government, as well as the private sector, and provide all necessary support, including capacity building, to empower local populations and civil society to participate fully in this process.

“In addition, steps must be taken to halt the importation of bushmeat into the European Union. Meat from wild animals is known to carry a number of diseases, including Ebola, SIV, monkeypox, and – as suspected in the most recent outbreak – SARS.

“The report which was passed in European Parliament today urges the Commission to establish best practice recommendations and co-ordinate efforts to encourage the tightening-up of external community frontier controls.

“We must end this illegal trade by blocking the importation of bushmeat for food or other uses in the interest of public health, public safety, and the protection of endangered species”, Mr. De Rossa concluded.