Representing your interests in Europe

Last month the Countryside Alliance attended a ground-breaking symposium in Brussels entitled 'The Sustainable Use of Lead Ammunition in Hunting and Sports Shooting: Facts and Emotions'.

The event was attended by 110 delegates, including journalists, politicians, scientists, members of environmental institutions, hunting and sport shooting organisations and food agencies.

Sixteen speakers covered every conceivable aspect of lead in civilian ammunition, with presentations organised into five different panels: environment; legal issues; ballistics; human health and other issues.

We learned that a number of new studies are soon to be released, studying both the effects of lead ammunition on wildlife populations and the bio-accessibility of lead from game meat in human consumption.

This innovative symposium helped increase communication between organisations from around the world. It also showed the complexities of the lead ammunition debate and several arguments were presented for suitable and effective mitigation measures, if and when lead ammunition is scientifically proven to be causing an undue risk in any particular area.