V. Tsalko proposes financial penalties for not maintaining optimal populations of game animals

September 30, Vitebsk region /Natalia Ilyicheva - BELTA/. Approaches to planning the culling of game animals to maintain their optimal numbers in hunting grounds need to be improved in Belarus, and material liability for hunting ground users for failure to meet culling plans should be introduced. This was stated by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Belarus Vladimir Tsalko today at a seminar conducted by the House of Representatives of the National Assembly in the Vitebsk region, a BELTA correspondent reports. Exceeding the optimal number of wild animals leads to significant economic damage to the national economy. In 2008 alone, wild boars caused damage to agricultural crops worth about Br3 billion, Vladimir Tsalko noted. He reported that as of January 1 of this year, the actual number of wild boars in the republic reached 56,000, which is 1.5 times the optimal number. When the optimal density is exceeded, the culling of game resources should correspond to the economic increment, i.e., 25,000 individuals per year. According to calculations, an additional 6,000 individuals need to be culled annually, the minister emphasized. Vladimir Tsalko added that beavers cause great harm to agricultural and forestry organizations. With a population of about 60,000 individuals, 8.8 thousand beavers can be harvested annually without harm to the population. According to the minister, this situation has arisen because hunting ground users are not fulfilling their obligations to maintain optimal numbers. For example, during the 2008 hunting season, from October 1 to December 31, only 50% of the volumes provided for by the culling plans for river beavers were harvested, which is about 20% of the amount that could be harvested. As world practice shows, enclosure hunting can be a serious competitor to trophy hunting in natural hunting grounds. Wild animal farms are quite profitable. According to the calculations of Latvian economists, meat producers with a herd of 400-500 heads can earn about $60,000 per year. In order to develop this area, appropriate changes need to be made to the Rules for Hunting Management and Hunting, Vladimir Tsalko believes. In addition, the development of a Concept for Game Breeding is required. Russia and other foreign countries have followed this path. -0-