ONLY JURIDICAL PERSONS TO GET GAME HUNTING LICENSES

A new regulation on game hunting licensing was developed in Belarus. In line with resolution №1551 of the Council of Ministers, only juridical persons will be licensed for game hunting business.

The document stressed, the resolution was developed to implement Belarusian president decree №16 “Some Measures to Improve State Regulation of Nature Exploitation”. Besides, president decree №580 of December 8, 2005 empowered the forestry ministry to exercise state control over game hunting business and license issuance. Earlier the functions were performed by the nature resources and environmental protection ministry.

Commenting on main clauses of the new regulation on game hunting business licensing, Viktor Korogvich, head specialist of the guard, forest protection and game hunting of the forestry ministry, noted, the licenses will be issued for ten years. Their duration can be prolonged for another ten years upon request. Unlike in past years requirements for licensees have become stricter, stressed Viktor Korogvich.

Licensees are obliged to run their game husbandry in full compliance with legislative documents, which regulate the business, to have a hunting reserve lease contract, to keep the animal population within prescribed limits. Besides, to get licensed for game hunting, a juridical person will have to have a required number of huntsmen.

Applicants should submit a copy of the local council of deputies resolution on hunting reserve lease, a map of the hunting reserve and a copy of the hunting reserve lease contract signed by the applicant and the local executive committee to the forestry ministry. It is the main requirement for getting a license, emphasised the specialist. License issuance is coordinated with the state fauna and flora protection inspection under the president of the Republic of Belarus. The source noted, before making a decision, the forestry ministry can check whether the tenant’s capabilities correspond to the license terms and conditions. In turn, the licensee must not interfere with the checkup.

In line with the new resolution the forestry ministry compiles and runs the license register. If an application for license is rejected, the ministry is to inform the state fauna and flora protection inspection under the president of the Republic of Belarus and the nature resources and environmental protection ministry within ten days. Control over how hunting reserve tenants keep to the license terms will be exercised by the forestry ministry, the state fauna and flora protection inspection under the president of the Republic of Belarus and other responsible bodies.

According to Viktor Korogvich, specialists of the forestry ministry will be able to check whether a licensee keeps to legislative norms, will be able to request documents related to the licensed business and issue orders to fix found drawbacks.

Nowadays there are some 260 juridical persons renting hunting reserves in Belarus. In line with decree №580 the forestry ministry was ordered to examine and assess their business. The examination is supposed to complete by July 1, 2006. Licensees failing to meet requirements related to the protection, rational use and reproduction of game animals may have their licenses revoked.

The specialist noted, 16 exemplary game hunting companies will be created to introduce others to their practices. Certification of game hunting companies is under consideration. Therefore, game hunting companies run by public organisations – the Belarusian society of hunters and fishermen and Dinamo – should reform their game hunting companies intro unitary enterprises. The work is already underway.

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