On 24 January 2013, the state joint-stock company “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) invited hunters' organisations to a meeting to discuss possible cooperation, as LVM had identified a number of problems relating to the erection of hunting towers and the setting up of feeding sites. To resolve them, LVM concluded a memorandum with hunting organisations so that these problems could be tackled jointly.

Then, in May 2017, LVM and other organisations representing foresters and hunters signed a new version of the memorandum “On mutual cooperation in reducing damage caused by game animals”. Several substantial amendments were made to it, but the underlying aim remained unchanged – to bring together the interests of hunters and foresters so that high-quality forest could be grown and there would be more game animals in it.

This year, discussions had begun on a new version of the memorandum, but in view of the measures implemented by LVM, LATMA no longer sees any scope for cooperation aimed at reducing damage caused by game animals.

On 11 December this year, LVM announced that, in order to make the conduct of hunting more transparent and to help achieve forest management objectives, it will henceforth conclude hunting lease agreements for five years. LATMA objected categorically to this initiative, as well as to several other points that are to be included in the hunting lease agreements. LVM did not take the objections into account and was not even prepared to hold a discussion, and therefore LATMA considers that cooperation under the memorandum is no longer possible.

Haralds Barviks: “In connection with this decision, LATMA is suspending its participation in the memorandum. The memorandum provides for cooperation, for weighing up opinions and reaching agreement, but in this case LVM is ignoring the views of hunters' organisations and taking unfounded decisions unilaterally, which can in no way be regarded as cooperation. There are no facts to justify such conduct by LVM. For some time now we have seen hunters' views being ignored and a monopoly position being abused. LVM is not fulfilling the obligations set out in the memorandum. The memorandum places obligations on both parties and cannot be one party's diktat! We are ready to cooperate, not to submit to a diktat that runs counter to the fundamental principles of a democratic society.”

Haralds Barviks also stresses that for many years LATMA and LVM had a very close and constructive working relationship. Problems concerning the placement of towers and feeding sites were resolved, damage caused by beavers was reduced as far as possible, and a compromise was reached by extending the red deer hunting seasons; LATMA has likewise always supported the efforts of hunters and LVM to increase culling limits.

“LVM is currently pursuing a policy that is hard to make sense of, often trying to blame hunters for its own mistakes and failures to act. I stress once again that we are ready to cooperate and to hold discussions, but we do not support unfounded attacks on hunters. Decisions like these will destroy a well-functioning system that has been tested over a long period. As far as I am aware, the number of contracts terminated over damage in recent years has been minimal, and so it is unclear why changes are needed in this area,” explains Haralds Barviks.