site.btaRevenues from Hunting Tourism Mark an Increase Y/Y

Sofia, August 9 (BTA) - In 2013, the revenues from hunting tourism exceeded 4.5 million leva, 13 per cent up compared to 2012, Grigor Gogov, Executive Director of the Forestry Agency, said at the opening of the hunting season of small game on Saturday.

In the period under review, 4,558 hunters were registered as practising hunting tourism, compared to 3,557 in 2012, said Gogov. He conveyed a greeting address on the part of Minister of Agriculture and Food Vassil Groudev.

A total of 3,750 people passed successfully proficiency exams after completing a relevant training course. 114,000 hunters renewed their hunting cards, Gogov also said.

In the recent years, foreign hunters would prefer hinting wild boar. Of the big game, deer, mouflon, and doe are preferred species for hunting. Of the small game, these are woodcock, turtle dove, quail, pheasant and partridge. Foreign hunters come mostly from Germany, Spain, Italy, France and Greece.

The most frequent violations registered at the beginning of the hunting season are alcohol abuse, failure to wear signalling equipment and carry one's hunting ticket. Measures have been taken to reduce these violations, said Gogov.