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INPRIMATU
The Member of Gipuzkoa authorises hunting in Ulía
  • The Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa today published in its official bulletin the amendment of the ban on hunting in Ulía.
Irutxuloko Hitza @irutxulo Irati Salsamendi Lozano 2019ko irailaren 10
(Argazkia: Ugatza Ornitologia)

The Provincial Council declared a security zone between Donostia-San Sebastian and Pasaia in 2014, thus prohibiting hunting. In total, the Provincial Council cancelled 46 hunting posts, but now, with the change, it will have to register the posts of the Ulia-Mendiola and Mendiola-Plata Itsasargia lines and stalls in the traditional corridors of Gipuzkoa, located on Mount Ulia.

The case of hunting in Ulía has taken a long judicial route, and the discussion among the neighbours has also taken place forcefully. The environmental groups were satisfied with the foral order approved in 2014 by the Council, and in recent years there have been several demonstrations against hunting. The Hunting Federation of Gipuzkoa, for its part, demanded the decision of the Court of First Instance. The High Court of Justice of the Basque Country (TSJPV) endorsed hunters in 2017 and last June published an order in execution of this judgment. The Deputy has published in today’s official bulletin that has decided to comply with the order of the Administrative Disputes Chamber of the High Court of Justice of the Basque Country of 19 June 2019. Hunters also began a strike last March in protest at the "lack of dialogue" with public institutions in this area.

 

 

 

Location of the Ulía posts which are included in the register of lines and posts in the traditional corridors of Gipuzkoa. (Photo: Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa)

 

 

 

Ulía: security zone

In the Foral Order issued in 2014, the Provincial Council stressed that much of the land in Donostia-San Sebastian was classified as security zones “to adequately preserve the security of people and goods.” Also, the City Hall of Donostia-San Sebastian requested in 2010 and that of Pasaia in 2011 the extension of this protection zone. Both municipalities declared Ulía as “periurban park” and stated that this name was “incompatible” with hunting. The resolution of the High Court of Justice, for its part, declared this ban null and void and based its decision on the hunting law adopted by the Basque Parliament in 2011. Accordingly, posts installed prior to the modification of the hunting law are exempted from the status of a security zone. In particular, Ulia's posts are prior to 2011.

In total there are 46 hunting stations on the mountain between Donostia-San Sebastian and Pasaia, on the Ulia-Mendiola and Itsasargia lines of Mendiola-Plata, of which 36 correspond to Donostia-San Sebastián lands.