An unprecedented meeting this Thursday morning in Paris on the issue of bears in the Pyrenees. This is the first time that so many elected officials from Ariège have been received on the subject by so many ministers.. Indeed, for 1h30, the delegation of elected officials from Ariège met with Marc Fesnau, Minister of Agriculture, Bérangère Couillard, Secretary of State in charge of Ecology, and the Haut-Garonnaise Dominique Faure, Secretary of State to rurality. A very constructive meeting considers Christine Téqui, president of the Departmental Council of Ariège.
Were present at this meeting, in addition to the president of Ariège: Laurent Panifous (deputy), Bénédicte Taurine (deputy), Jean-Jacques Michaud (senator), Alain Servat (mayor of Ustou and president of the Pastoral Federation in Ariège) and Elodie Amilhat (Chamber of Agriculture).
A legal framework for scaring
To protect herds in the mountain pastures, the solution of (non-lethal) scaring shots has already been implemented in the Pyrenees. But very often, following appeals from environmental associations, these ministerial decrees are challenged by the courts. like last May.
To legally secure these scaring measures, the elected representatives of Ariège are proposing a legal framework to the government. “We have proposed the drafting of an article in the environmental code which allows self-defense”explains Christine Téqui who wants to legally secure scaring. A second meetingprecisely on this legal aspect, is to take place soon.
A count next spring
Currently, at least 80 bears would be present in the Pyrenean massif. 80% of them would be present in the Ariège Couserans, where several attacks on herds have been revealed in recent months by breeders. “The three ministers took into account this concentration considered too important in Ariège and in particular in Couserans. They agreed to launch a study on counting, not counting to count but counting to set indicators and to set a regulation protocol and with shared governance, that’s very important__”, says Christine Tequi.
“It’s a sign of openness from the three ministers on the subject.” — Christine Tequi
If the concentration of bears in the Couserans is deemed too high by the government after this count, there will be “implementation of measures to relieve the territory of this concentration. We speak of ‘relieving’ because, the ministers recalled, the current legal framework does not allow us to talk about regulation but to relieve”.
“We will remain vigilant that these words turn into action.” —Laurent Panifous
This count will be carried out next spring by a scientific and independent organization who has not yet been appointed by the government. A count which will therefore be added to those carried out by the French Office for Biodiversity. Laurent Panifous, MP for the 2nd constituency of Ariège, welcomes the completion of a count “objective” and hope that “Words turn into actions”.