At the level of the leased area of Harcha located in the rural commune of Zaouiat Oum El Bakht (Province of Béni Mellal), hunting enthusiasts gathered for the resumption of their hunting activities in accordance with the timetable established by the ministerial decree opening, closing and special hunting regulations and in line with current laws promoting full respect for ecological systems and the practice of responsible and sustainable hunting.
An unannounced outing of officials and forest guards from the provincial directorate of the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) in Béni Mellal made it possible to focus on the conformity of the documents essential for the practice of hunting, namely, hunting and weapon permits, licenses, insurance as well as the membership card to the Royal Moroccan Hunting Federation.
On this occasion, the ministerial decree relating to the opening, closing and special regulations of hunting during the 2024-2025 season was presented to hunters as well as the maximum number of pieces of game to be slaughtered for each hunter during the same day hunting, namely, four partridges, a hare and five rabbits.
In a statement to MAP, the provincial director of ANEF in Béni Mellal, Mohamed Zouhri, stressed that the provinces of Béni Mellal and Fkih Ben Saleh are endowed with rich ecological and geographical diversity by sheltering important hunting resources. , noting that on the occasion of the opening of the hunting season, the Provincial Directorate of ANEF launched a series of information and awareness campaigns to remind people of the regulations in force and with a view to supervision hunters to promote hunting that respects the environment and available resources.
As part of the promotion of responsible hunting and the strengthening of control before and during the hunting season, the Directorate has also strengthened the organization of hunters within associations and societies, he said. , recalling that a total of 46 hunting lots are currently allocated over an area of approximately 149,664 hectares in the two provinces of Béni Mellal and Fkih Ben Salah.
And Mr. Zouhri observed that within the framework of the contractualization, the lessees participate in the development of hunting territories, in particular by the creation of water points and the release of game, as well as by various social actions, emphasizing that maps of hunting reserves are now available online.
A regional reserve system has been set up including 11 permanent reserves covering an area of 83,528 hectares, as well as 13 temporary reserves covering approximately 668,476 hectares, for a total of approximately 752,004 hectares, the provincial official also explained, indicating that all of these measures aim to improve and develop hunting capital and its habitat.
Furthermore, and to mitigate the impact of the overpopulation of wild boars, a regulation program has been developed for this season in 11 areas identified as black spots, maintained Mr. Zouhri.
In 2023-2024, the overall rate of partridges killed per hunter stands at 1.94 in leased lots and 1.29 in areas open to ordinary hunting. A total of 47 wild boar hunts were organized, during which 266 were slaughtered. The number of reports drawn up as part of monitoring, surveillance and anti-poaching efforts stands at 14.
It should be remembered that hunting contributes, in the provinces of Béni Mellal and Fkih Ben Salah, to local economic development, by promoting job creation and developing hunting tourism in the region.
2024-10-07 10:08:30