Restrictions on feeding wild boars are set

On Tuesday, the government supported changes to the regulations on feeding wild game animals prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture. The changes provide for restrictions on feeding wild boars to reduce the potential spread of African swine fever (ASF). Mārtiņš Trons, a representative of the Farmers' Parliament, also participated in the development of the regulations.

The changes to the regulations provide for conditions for feeding wild boars and other wild animals in a way that wild boars cannot access the feed. It is stipulated that feeders are permitted to be placed in those hunting areas where hunting of wild boars is permitted, and the total volume of feeders does not exceed 400 liters per 1000 hectares. The changes to the regulations also provide that ungulate feeders are permitted to be placed only in those hunting areas where hunting of ungulates of the relevant species is permitted. The conditions for feeding wild animals that apply to feeding wild boars are intended to be applied until 31 December 2018.

The regulations on feeding wild game animals stipulate that a feeding area may only be placed if the written consent of the landowner or legal possessor has been received. However, if there are objects on the land that are significantly affected by increased animal density and the location of the feeding area, such as young trees and agricultural crops, the regulations stipulate that the placement must also be coordinated with the owner and legal possessor of the land adjacent to the feeding area.

Changes to the rules will enter into force after their publication on the website of the official publication "Latvijas Vēstnesis": www.vestnesis.lvMore information on amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers' Regulation No. 1483 of 17 December 2013 "Regulations on the Feeding of Wild Game Animals" available on the Cabinet of Ministers website: http://tap.mk.gov.lv/lv/mk/tap/?pid=40340509&mode=mk&date=2014-12-02.