仏大統領選、狩猟規制が再び争点に　流れ弾でハイカー死亡

【オーリヤックＡＦＰ＝時事】フランスで１７歳のハンターが発砲した流れ弾によってハイカーが死亡する事故が発生し、狩猟規制の強化をめぐる議論が再び大統領選の争点になっている。（写真は資料写真）
　事故が起きたのは、森林が多い中部カンタル県オーリヤック近郊。１９日に友人と共にハイキングコースを歩いていた２５歳女性に流れ弾が当たった。発砲したのは、イノシシ狩りに来ていたグループの１７歳の少女で、１６歳の時に狩猟免許を取得した。
　「ジビエ王国」のフランスは、欧州で最もハンターの数が多い国で、仏猟師連盟によると、許可証を持つハンターが約１００万人に上る。ハンターとその家族、支持者を合わせると、約５００万人の有権者がいることになる。フランス全体の有権者は約４８００万人。
　世論調査で大統領選左派候補の中でリードするジャンリュック・メランション氏は、週末と学校の長期休暇が「最も危険性の高い期間だ」として、この間の狩猟禁止を訴えた。
　エマニュエル・マクロン大統領は２５日にパリで開催される農業フェアを訪れる予定で、その際にこの問題についての見解を問われる可能性がある。
　仏紙ルモンドによると、生物多様性当局の統計では、狩猟事故は２０００年以降、３３２５件発生して４２１人が死亡している。
　フランスは狩猟期間中に特定の日を禁猟とする制度を設けておらず、狩猟を知らせる措置を取れば、期間中はいつでも狩りが可能。昨秋には、多くの学校が休みとなる日曜と水曜の狩猟禁止を求める署名活動が行われ、１２万人分が集まった。
　マクロン政権は、伝統的な行事である狩猟を敵視するような発言を控えつつも、規制強化の可能性には含みを持たせてきた。
　フランスでは、狩猟が行われている場所を示すアプリケーションが開発されている。しかし、狩猟団体は、組織的な狩りを反対グループに妨害される懸念があるとして、導入に反対している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】

〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/02/24-12:04）

The accidental killing of a hiker by a teenage hunter in central France has rekindled debate among the country's presidential hopefuls over a divisive tradition that critics say needs more strict regulation.
The victim, a 25-year-old woman, was walking with a friend along a marked trail near Aurillac, in the heavily forested Cantal region, when she died after being hit by a stray bullet on Saturday.
The shot came from a 17-year-old girl taking part in a group hunt for wild boar, who was initially treated in hospital for shock before being taken into custody for questioning, which continued late Sunday.
Even though France's love of its rural heritage runs deep, the tragedy added to the growing pressure for tougher rules on hunting in a country with the largest number of hunters in Europe.
There are around one million permit-holding hunters in France, according to the FNC hunters' federation, and together with their supporters and families they could represent a pool of around five million voters, out of around 48 million registered to cast ballots.
We urgently need more regulation of this activity, Yannick Jadot, the Greens candidate for the April presidential vote, said Saturday.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, who is leading in the polls among leftwing candidates hoping to unseat President Emmanuel Macron, called to prohibit hunting on weekends and during school holidays because that's when there's the biggest risk.
Macron will likely face questions at his scheduled appearance at the Paris Agriculture Show on Saturday, a crucial annual visit for all politicians looking to court the rural vote.
According to French daily Le Monde, citing France's biodiversity office, there have been 3,325 hunting accidents in France since 2000, resulting in 421 deaths.
- 'Tighten the rules' -
France is one of the few European countries that do not prohibit hunting on certain days during the season, instead allowing hunters to shoot at all times as long as they alert others of their activity -- a requirement decried by critics as insufficient.
A petition last autumn seeking to outlaw hunting on Sundays and Wednesdays, when many schools do not have class, garnered 120,000 signatures and prompted the Senate to create a panel to assess its safety.
Macron's government has always steered clear of expressing hostility to the traditional practice of hunting but has repeatedly left open the possibility of a more restrictive approach.
If it turns out we need to tighten the rules further, we will do so, Macron's secretary of state in charge of biodiversity, Berangere Abba, told AFP, noting that France has announced the creation of an app that could indicate areas where hunts are taking place.
But such apps are often opposed by hunting groups, who say they could be used by anti-hunting activists to disrupt organised hunts.
Abba said the young hunter, who had tested negative for drug or alcohol use, had obtained her permit when 16.
We need to verify that the hunt was correctly communicated and marked, Abba added, in particular with posted signs to alert hikers and others.
Willy Schraen, head of the FNC, which has long resisted limits, said on Facebook that local chapters were being contacted to remind everyone of all the safety rules.
France has in recent months banned traditional hunting techniques of birds in line with a 2009 EU directive, such as hunting with nets or bird cages or glue hunting.
Macron, who is favourite to win the election, has yet to formally declare his candidacy and speculation is fizzing over whether the announcement will be made before or after the agriculture fair.