Recap The New Year With SCI’s International Advocacy Team

SCI’s International Advocacy team work to protect the freedom to hunt worldwide, and encountered challenges, opportunities, and successes throughout 2024.  Below is an overview of just some of the work SCI’s International Advocacy team accomplished this year.

In Europe:

• International Hunting Survey: SCI announced the results of a survey commissioned by SCI and several partner organizations that shows Europeans broadly accept international hunting.  The survey results are in stark contrast to inflated and false figures often alleged by animal rights and anti-hunting groups that advocate for hunting trophy import bans across Europe.
• Elections: Elections in Europe took place in June.  Parties that traditionally support anti-hunting policies lost big, turning the political landscape towards parties more favorable for hunters.  SCI congratulated the newly elected members of the European Parliament, especially those who will promote and protect biodiversity, sustainable landscape management, and the benefits of hunting for Europeans and wildlife.
• Intergroup: The “Biodiversity, Hunting and Countryside” Intergroup within the European Parliament was re-established. Two SCI partner organizations, the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE) and the European Landowners Organization (ELO), will serve as secretariat of this Intergroup.
• Wolves: Most European countries agreed to change the level of protection wolves (Canis lupus) under the Bern Convention. Data show a population increase of 81% over the last 10 years across Europe. The next step for European wolves requires a downlisting in the Habitats Directive.
• Belgium’s Import Ban: The newly created SCI BENELUX Chapter has challenged Belgium’s trophy import ban in Belgium’s Constitutional Court.  This case is being handled in cooperation with the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation’s (CIC) Belgian Delegation.
• Petition to Ban Imports: In response to a petition to ban trophy imports submitted by Humane Society International,  the European Commission responded for a second time, that  “A change in the [European Union] position towards the banning of hunting trophy imports would have negative impacts on conservation and sustainable use, as it would deprive local communities in countries with sustainable hunting schemes from an important source of income and thus increase the risk of wildlife habitats being lost. Such a policy shift would also have negative political consequences for {European Union] bilateral relations with relevant countries, and for multilateral relations in the CITES context.”
• UK Trophy Import Ban: SCI and its partners lobbied Members of Parliament in the UK to oppose (another) trophy import ban bill.  The bill did not pass before time ran out on the Parliamentary session.
• FACE: Mr. Laurens Hoedemaker was elected president of FACE, SCI’s closest partner organization in Europe.  SCI will continue to work together with FACE and congratulates Mr. Hoedemaker on his election.  SCI thanks the former President Mr. Torbjörn Larsson for FACE’s tremendous successes under his presidency!

In Canada:

• New Staff: SCI hired Chris Everett as its Chapter and Advocacy Service Specialist in Canada. Chris came to SCI after a decade on Parliament Hill, where she worked on hunting, angling, and conservation issues, including in collaboration with SCI.  Chris hit the ground running and has significantly improved SCI’s advocacy efforts in Canada in just a few months.
• Annual Conference: SCI Canada hosted their annual conference in Ottawa, Ontario bringing in chapter leaders, regional reps, and Directors-at-Large from across Canada. SCI staff and leadership attended the Conservative Angling and Hunting Caucus symposium to discuss issues facing all forms of hunting, angling, trapping, firearms, and more across Canada.
• Seal River Watershed: SCI Canada submitted a letter to Parks Canada strongly opposing a proposal to create an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) and national park reserve (NPR) on the approximately 50,000 square kilometers of the Seal River Watershed in Manitoba.
• Game Birds: SCI has worked with—and continues to work with—U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on lifting restrictions for the import of hunter-harvested game birds from Canada. APHIS restricts imports of hunter-harvested wild game birds from certain zones due to concerns about bird flu.  This is an ongoing issue.

Elsewhere:

• Form 4457: SCI worked with U.S. congressional leaders and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency to clarify certain information required by the Customs Form 4457, which hunters use to legally take firearms abroad when hunting.
• Firearms Licensing: SCI opposed a new rule that revised firearms license requirements and restricted the ability of U.S. hunters to travel internationally with their firearms.
• CITES: SCI and SCI Foundation staff, along with several partner organizations, attended the 33rd CITES Animals Committee meeting, continuing SCI’s long commitment of engaging on CITES issues and working to ensure international trade in hunting trophies. Preparations are underway for next year’s Conference of the Parties, which will be held in Uzbekistan.
• AWCF: SCI staff attended the African Wildlife Consultative Forum in South Africa, an annual conference co-hosted by SCI Foundation. SCI and SCI Foundation engaged with range state representatives and co-hosted U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff in coordination with the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa.
• Australia: In partnership with Field and Game Australia and  Australian hunters, SCI advocated against threats to waterfowl hunting across Australia, in particular in Victoria. Thanks to these efforts, the Victoria duck season was retained. Another huge win for hunters!

International Chapters:

• A number of chapters outside of the United States were added to SCI’s roster in 2024, and several more are currently in the works.  The Europe Committee expanded with the new BENELUX Chapter and reshuffling of the United Kingdom Chapter. SCI also added the Middle East Chapter and the Pakistan Chapter.  Welcome to the new chapters and members!