French hunters are no longer allowed to catch birds with a glue stick, President Macron has determined. This is a controversial technique, which is still permitted in five regions around Nice and Marseille.
In the method, hunters lubricate sticks and branches with glue, which birds can no longer get rid of. They mainly want to catch blackbirds and thrushes. Thrush pâté, among other things, is known in France as a delicacy.
France has long been under fire for allowing the catching technique. It has been banned in the EU since 1979, but France therefore made an exception for five southern regions. The country has been reprimanded by the European Commission for this.
Cruel
Bird protectors call the use of glue sticks cruel. They say that birds that get trapped suffer greatly and that protected birds are also affected.
French hunters, on the other hand, argue that it is a tradition that is subject to strict restrictions and that birds do not suffer from it. They say they clean and release birds that do not want them.
France is now suspending the use of the glue stick until January 1, 2021. Macron has not yet opted for a definitive ban, because he is still awaiting a ruling from the European Court of Justice.
64 kinds
BirdLife International says to the BBC that of all EU countries, France protects birds the worst. According to the conservation organization, 64 species can be hunted in the country, while the European average is 30.
In the Netherlands, only three birds are allowed to be hunted: the mallard, the pheasant and the wood pigeon.
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