France's Conseil d'État upholds traditional skylark net-hunting

The French Conseil d'État has ruled that the traditional hunting of skylarks using nets, known as ‘chasse aux pantes’, is compliant with European law. This decision follows legal challenges brought by environmental organizations, including One Voice and the Ligue pour la protection des oiseaux (LPO), who sought to annul ministerial decrees authorizing the practice.

The high court's ruling was based on findings that the practice is selective, conducted in small quantities, and that no other satisfactory alternatives exist. Hunters noted that for the 2025-2026 season, the harvest limit was set at 98,702 skylarks, representing less than 1% of the average annual mortality of the 106 million specimens in Europe. Willy Schraen, president of the Fédération nationale des chasseurs, described the ruling as a victory for cultural heritage.

In response, the LPO has announced plans to file an appeal with European authorities, arguing that the practice threatens the conservation of a species that is already declining in French territories.