Protected otters may not be shot, even in exceptional cases. In a ruling on Tuesday, the Bavarian Administrative Court (BayVGH) determined that a corresponding state regulation from May 2023 is ineffective. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) and the Association for Nature Conservation in Bavaria (BN) had sued against the exception that made it easier to shoot otters in eastern Bavaria. (File number: 14 N 23.1502, 14 N 23.1657)
The exceptional regulation would have allowed the shooting of up to 32 otters without an individual permit, the BN said. The environmental associations were convinced that the regulation violated species, animal protection, hunting and EU law and that it was not guaranteed how compliance with the quotas would be monitored.
Instead, DUH and BN called for effective measures “to bring pond management and biological diversity together,” according to a statement. Sascha Müller-Kraenner, federal managing director of the DUH, said there was no evidence that the killings had protected the pond industry from serious damage. There are many reasons for losses in pond management, which will increase with the climate crisis, said BN state manager Peter Rottner.
The environmental associations have been calling for significantly higher basic funding for fish ponds since 2019. According to the court, no appeal is permitted against the verdict. According to the Administrative Court, the Free State of Bavaria can lodge a complaint against the non-approval within one month.