A prefectural decree of July 20 authorizes the slaughter of 1,430 foxes by 2021 in Seine-Maritime, in the name of the damage caused by these predators on small game, and in particular partridges. The One Voice nature protection association appealed to the Rouen administrative court.

Justice will say by Thursday noon if it cancels a prefectural decree authorizing the elimination of 1,430 foxes by 2021 in Seine-maritime. The decision will be rendered "no later than tomorrow morning," said at the end of the hearing Wednesday Patrick Mine, the summary judge of the administrative court of Rouen seized by the association for the protection of nature One Voice. The prefectural decree of July 20 firstly justifies this authorization of additional "regulation" of this wild species which can cause damage by "depredations made by these animals on small game and more particularly on partridges."

But "by the admission of the departmental plan for wildlife management, the number of factors involved in the survival of small game is such that there is no correlation" between foxes and partridges, argued Élise Craye the lawyer for One Voice. For the legal manager of the departmental direction of the territories and the sea Sophie Messmer, on the other hand "to say that there is no correlation, it is a little fast". Likewise, while the prefecture has noted an increase in the number of foxes, in particular due to the confinement linked to Covid 19, One Voice evokes a "slight decrease". The association further considers that "the interest in public health" also mentioned by the decree "is not argued".

"By killing a certain number of foxes we limit the health risk"

"Of course, we are not sure that these measures will bear fruit, but we are sure that by slaughtering a certain number of foxes we limit the health risk for the populations", replied Sophie Messmer. "Cases of sarcoptic scabies have been reported quite significantly in the department. Foxes have been found in a very poor state of health," added for the prefecture Alexandre Herment, head of the environment service.

As for the impact of the fox on poultry, also mentioned by the decree, "the opposing party says that there is no damage to professional farms, it is a fact", admitted Sophie Messmer but the damage on "particular farms has been demonstrated". According to One Voice, similar orders were canceled in summary proceedings in 2019 in Eure and Moselle and in 2018 in Meurthe-et-Moselle. The association is the only complainant. But the order had also been strongly criticized by FNE and by the deputy mayor EELV of Rouen Jean-Michel Bérégovoy.