Game management in Hungary Game management and/or Natura2000?

1. Game management in Hungary Game management and/or Natura2000? Dr. Miklós HELTAI, Dr. Sándor CSÁNYI, Zoltán SZUDA & Gábor KOVÁCS Szent István University Institute for Wildlife Conservation Hungarian Hunters' National Association

2. Legal framework Acts and decrees Act LV/1996 on game conservation, game management and hunting Ministerial decree 79/2004 on the rules of application

3. Game ownership and hunting rights • Game are state property (res communis) • Hunting right belongs to land-property • Minimum 3,000 ha continuous property • Fulfilling ecological, reproductive requirements of game • Reasonable for game management & hunting purposes • Typical use of hunting right: joint group of land-owners (99.2%) • Game management units • Number of game management units: 1363 • Average size: 6750 ha

4. State and regional administration Authority of first instance (§ 86) • Hunting and Fishery Authority (Inspectorate) • 19 County Hunting Inspectorates (in each county’s Agriculture Office) • Staff: 60 hunting inspectors (civil servants) Higher authority • Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Department of Game Management & Fishery) • Central Agricultural Office

5. Sustainable use of game 3-level management planning system The goals of the planning system (§ 41) • long-term survival of game populations and protection of habitats and game species • mitigation of game management and other land-use interests (agriculture, forestry) • administrative support for the interest of nature protection • Using of professional voice of hunting rights

6. Planning system Ecologically balanced / wise use of game Tools (§ 42) • Regional game management plans - 24 regions • Long-term game management plans (10±3 years) - 1,363 game management units • Annual game management plans - approved by the hunting authorities (county)

7. Data collection and monitoring Establishment of the National Game Management Database (§ 48) • Spring population reports • Annual management/harvest data • Trophy scoring data • Monitoring programs (wildfowl, non-hunting mortality, hunted & protected predators) • Statistical analyses, GIS, modelling • Annual publication of bag statistics

8. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary • The goals of the planning system (§ 41) • long-term survival of game populations and protection of habitats and game species • establishing harmony between game management and the interests of other land use(agriculture, forestry) • professionally sound use of hunting rights • administrative support for the interest of nature protection

9. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary • administrative support for the interest of nature protection • 3-level management planning system • 3 possible level for giving special rules from nature conservation authority to GMU • Every activity which is contraversial with the aim of protection is forbidden without the permission of nature conservation authority.

10. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary • Some typical regulation in Natura 2000 areas • Prohibition of cultivating game fields • Prohibition of setting up any hunting equipment (e.g.: feeding place, water sources, hiding place) • Prohibition of using fields as a road by off-road cars • Reducing the hunting season (e.g.: roe deer, predators prohibit from hunting in spring) • Reducing the number of collective hunting • Reducing the population size of game species (typically red deer and wild boar) • On SCIs the populatiopn size should be decreased significantly in a sector of 1 km (the treading and mastication cannot be observed) • Prohibition of rearing game species

11. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary 1057 GMUs are concerned in Natura 2000, more than 77% of the all, on almost 2 million ha Natura 2000 means restriction

12. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary • Advantages in Natura 2000 areas • The management regulation (e.g. forest and agricultural management) gives a chance for better quality habitat. • The total area of supported (working) ESA in Hungary is bigger than the total area of game fields • There is financial background for Natura2000 areas to better habitat management (eg 33/2008 FVM decree edge management, forest stripes)

13. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary • Good regulation and financial background (49939878 Euro between 2007-2013) • Natura 2000 means restriction

14. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary Land owner – hunting rights owner - letting of land cultivation to farmers - letting of hunting rights to GMUs - have no interest in better management practice Farmers - must keep Natura2000 regulations - incoming / consideration from supporting system GMU - Must keep Natura2000 regulations - have interest in better management practice - no direct supporting system - no contact with farmers

15. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary • Solution and role of Hungarian Hunters' National Association • Dissemination of aim, chance and results of Natura 2000 among hunters and GMUs • Developing better and most useful contact between land owners and GMU • Developing better and most useful contact between farmers and GMU • Discussing the typical Natura2000 restrictions with nature conservation

16. NATURA 2000 vs. Hunting in Hungary • Natura 2000 • Chance to habitat • Chance to game species • Chance to game management • Give a chance to Natura together

17. Thank you for your attention!