Twelve Fuerteventura hunters fined for hunting without permission on Lanzarote
Lanzarote’s Cabildo fined 12 hunters from Fuerteventura €150 each after checks in August found they lacked the permit needed to hunt on the island.
Twelve hunters from Fuerteventura have been fined for hunting on Lanzarote without the required island permit. They held hunting licences issued in Fuerteventura, but also needed a permit to hunt on Lanzarote.
According to Diario de Fuerteventura, Lanzarote’s Cabildo ruled on the 12 cases between September and mid-October. The cases followed checks on 23, 27 and 30 August. Each hunter received a €150 fine. In many cases, this was reduced to €90.
A hunting licence was not enough
The cases show the difference between holding a hunting licence and having permission to hunt on another island. Each year, Lanzarote’s Cabildo awards 25 permits by lottery to hunters who do not live on the island.
During checks on 23 August, officers who enforce nature protection rules found three hunters from Tuineje. They had eight podenco dogs and two captured rabbits. The hunters showed their Fuerteventura hunting licences, but none had the permit needed for Lanzarote.
They argued that Lanzarote’s technical hunting plan was not in force. They also disputed the number of permits available. They said they had been told in Fuerteventura that they could hunt on Lanzarote. However, they did not say who had told them this.
The Cabildo rejected their arguments, saying they had provided no documents to support their claims. It also said Lanzarote’s authorities were in charge of granting permission to hunt on the island.
Checks across Haría
Three other Fuerteventura hunters were reported in Haría on 23 August. Four more were reported on 27 August, followed by two in the Valle de Máguez on 30 August. Those involved included residents of Puerto del Rosario, Antigua and Pájara.
The Cabildo classed all 12 offences as less serious under Canary Islands hunting law. Fines for these offences range from €150 to €601. The Cabildo imposed the minimum fine because it found no factors that made the offences more serious.
The rulings allow reductions of up to 40%. Hunters can receive a 20% reduction for paying within the voluntary payment period. They can receive a further 20% reduction if they freely admit to the offence. To qualify for these reductions, they must give up the right to appeal against the penalty.