|
5. WORKSHOP IN ROMANIA
In October 2001, an international Non-Toxic Shot Workshop was
held in Bucharest, Romania. Its intention was to bring the
lead poisoning issue to the attention of delegates of Eastern
European Range States, and to supply them with information
and experiences necessary to implement a change to alternative
ammunition in their countries. The workshop was organised
by the AEWA Secretariat and the Federation of Hunting Associations
and Conservation of the European Union.
The theoretical session of this
workshop comprised several lectures. Firstly, the Lead Poisoning
Review mentioned earlier was presented by a representative
of Wetlands International.
Secondly, a representative of
the gun manufacturing business outlined the efforts of this
industry to accommodate new developments. He indicated that
it does not take any considerable adaptation for an ammunition
manufacturer to switch to the production of alternative
shot. Also, he stated that alternative shot is well suitable
for the vast majority (i.e. all modern) guns, and that its
performance is of equally satisfactory as that of lead shot.
Furthermore, a shot and ballistics
expert addressed the audience and explained the practical
differences between lead shot and alternative ammunition.
His conclusion was that alternative shot, notably steel
shot, is a high-quality alternative. Although slightly more
expensive than lead and less widely available, its performance
is highly satisfactory and causes no serious impediment
to safety or to the life of a gun. The slight inconveniences
that may arise (e.g. having to get used to different ammunition,
decreasing the shooting distance, obeying stricter safety
rules) do in no way outweigh the serious need of a ban on
lead shot.
This was followed by three case
studies, namely the experiences of France, Denmark and the
United Kingdom throughout the process of phasing out lead
shot in their countries. France noted considerable logistical
problems due to a lack of communication between the hunting
community and the government. The UK is well on the way
to implement a ban without notable difficulties. In Denmark
a ban was fully implemented in 1996. Denmark showed a remarkable
example of a well-functioning communication between the
interested parties, and the step-wise process of the implementation
should serve as an example to other countries.
The French experience also included
an extensive overview of large-scale research into the physiological
and behavioural effects of lead shot ingestion on birds.
This research outlined the high toxicity of this metal and
its long-term persistence.
Main conclusions of this part
of the workshop were:
- Lead poisoning is a serious issue which
should be, and can be, addressed.
- However, a ban should be implemented
gradually, and should be combined with measures like
the enhancement of non-toxic shot availability, information
and education for hunters, and the training and gun
proofing possibilities.
“I think the workshop in
Bucharest was excellent; it could serve as an example for
future workshops as well.” (Gergely Torda, Authority
for Nature Conservation, Ministry of the Environment, Hungary)
The second day of the workshop comprised a practical demonstration
session at a shooting range near Bucharest. Members of a
local shooting club demonstrated the effectiveness of steel
ammunition during clay pigeon shooting. Afterwards, all
delegates had a chance to try the ammunition themselves.
Finally, a series of tests was carried out to compare the
effectiveness of lead and alternative ammunition. Because
of the small scale of this set-up, statistically sound conclusions
were not drawn, but the results indicated that regular steel
cartridges performed naerly equally well as lead cartridges,
while ‘High Performance’ cartridges proved fully comparable.
Even though it was clear that many hunters still considered
lead to be the ideal ammunition, it was remarkable to see
that interest on the issue had been raised and that the
performance of steel cartridges was judged to be surprisingly
good.
References:
-
Proceedings
of the Non-Toxic Shot Workshop held in Bucharest, Romania,
in October 2001. For more information please contact
the Secretariat at aewa@unep.de
|
