The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill: The risk to conservation, rights and livelihoods
The UK Government has suggested that local communities substitute the income lost as a result of a ban on trophy hunting imports by applying for UK aid grants. But encouraging greater aid-dependency demeans the recipients and contradicts the Government’s own Minister for Development and Africa, who said: “international development is not about charity, handouts and dependency.”The UK Government has suggested that local communities substitute the income lost as a result of a ban on trophy hunting imports by applying for UK aid grants. But encouraging greater aid-dependency demeans the recipients and contradicts the Government’s own Minister for Development and Africa, who said: “international development is not about charity, handouts and dependency.”The UK Government has suggested that local communities substitute the income lost as a result of a ban on trophy hunting imports by applying for UK aid grants. But encouraging greater aid-dependency demeans the recipients and contradicts the Government’s own Minister for Development and Africa, who said: “international development is not about charity, handouts and dependency.”Scientists, African conservationists and community leaders publish report calling on Lords to amend the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill
Authors (listed below) claim the Bill – which will receive its second reading in the Lords on 16 June – will undermine critical revenue for conservation and communities in its current form.
African communities accuse the UK Government of hypocrisy and neo-colonialism, given the UK exports thousands of hunting trophies itself every year from deer stalking, but has no plans to abolish the practice domestically.
The authors call for an amendment to exempt imports with a proven benefit to conservation and communities.
https://www.resourceafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/The-Hunting-Trophies-Bill-risks.pdf
London – 6 JUNE 2023: The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, currently before the Lords, would ban the import of hunting trophies into the UK. Despite intending to support conservation, it is likely to undermine conservation efforts in many countries across Africa and elsewhere, according a report published today by leading scientists and conservationists.
For multiple hunted species, even threatened ones, trophy hunting has proven conservation benefits (by reducing far greater threats such as habitat loss and poaching). Undermining the viability of the hunting industry through an import ban, reduces the incentives for Governments, landowners and local communities to:
keep land as wildlife habitat rather than converting it to uses such as agriculture;
invest in anti-poaching activities;
tolerate dangerous wildlife.
There are currently no feasible alternative wildlife-based land uses for most trophy hunting areas. Photo-tourism is only viable in select ‘scenic’ areas, where good transport and infrastructure links support a high volume of visitors. The majority of hunting areas will never be viable for photo-tourism.
The Parliamentary debate surrounding the Bill has been driven by extensive misinformation from animal rights activists, backed up by celebrities. In the second reading, for example, over 70% of MPs’ statements were found to be false or misleading. The debate has ignored conservation expertise – even that provided by the UK Government’s own scientific advisory body.
The UK aiming to ban hunting imports is hypocritical, given that:
the UK exports many thousands of hunting trophies every year (particularly from red deer in Scotland) and
the UK languishes far behind the Southern African countries who will be most affected by this Bill, on conservation performance. The UK is in fact one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
The UK Government has suggested that local communities substitute the income lost as a result of a ban on trophy hunting imports by applying for UK aid grants. But encouraging greater aid-dependency demeans the recipients and contradicts the Government’s own Minister for Development and Africa, who said: “international development is not about charity, handouts and dependency.”
Rather than apply a blanket ban on the imports of all hunting trophies, the Government should allow the imports of trophies where it can be demonstrated that hunting makes a positive contribution to conservation and local livelihoods. Imports that do not meet these criteria would be banned, thus rightly disenfranchising poorly managed trophy hunting operations without undermining those which have demonstrable benefits.
Many Britons dislike trophy hunting, but fewer than half want a ban if that would harm people or conservation.
The UK Government’s suggestion that SADC countries substitute hunting revenue by applying for UK aid and grant money, has drawn intense criticism from the governments of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe:
“While respecting the ministers’ opinion, we regret to inform that we take exception to this position that is tantamount to subjecting those likely to be adversely affected by the Bill, to a beggar-like dependency on external support for their livelihood.
“Dr Chris Brown – CEO, Namibian Chamber for the Environment:
“Many countries, particularly former colonies, are becoming increasingly sensitive to attempts by Western industrialised countries to dictate how they use and manage their natural resources, especially when wildlife numbers are stable and increasing.
“Such paternalistic, arrogant and misinformed approaches will only encourage our countries to look eastwards to grow alliances and markets for our natural resources.”
Contributors:
Dr. Brian Child – IUCN Councilor for Africa
Dr. Christopher Brown – Namibian Chamber of Environment
Dr. Dilys Roe – IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group
Dr. Rodgers Lubilo – Community Leaders Network
Dr. Shylock Muyengwa – Resource Africa
Maxi Pia Louis – Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations
Prof. Adam Hart – University of Gloucestershire
Prof. Amy Dickman – University of Oxford
Siyoka Simsiku – Ngamiland Council of NGOs