EU to ban use of lead shot by wetland bird hunters

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

EU to ban use of lead shot by wetland bird hunters

Regulation will help prevent deaths of 1m waterbirds by lead poisoning every year

Patrick Barkham
@patrick_barkham
Thu 26 Nov 2020 18.13 GMT

Lead shot is to be banned from all wetlands in the European Union, in a decision that is expected to pave the way for phasing out all toxic ammunition.

The European parliament voted against objections lodged by far-right parties, allowing the European commission to introduce the new regulations by the end of the year.

The ban will ensure that any wildfowl or waterbirds are shot with non-toxic steel ammunition after scientific studies found that 1 million waterbirds are killed by lead poisoning each year. Millions more wild birds, including raptors, are poisoned but do not die, with 40% of whooper swans found to have elevated blood lead levels.

If the regulations come into force before the end of the Brexit transition period, they will become UK law. This would compel some grouse shoots to use non-toxic ammunition because certain grouse moors are peatlands and are classified as wetlands according to the EU definition.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/26/eu-to-ban-use-of-lead-shot-by-wetland-bird-hunters

[Blues Heron]

1. I'll never understand the mentality of the "hunter"

Blasting the life out of those magnificent creatures and spewing toxic lead all over the place while you do it. It's just so disgusting it's mind boggling.