Hunting regulation for Sapientza season 2024 translated by Google translate

Article 1

ACQUISITION OF HUNTING RIGHTS

To hunt in the Sapienza Island Controlled Hunting Area one must..

 

In order to hunt in the Sapienza Island Controlled Hunting Area, the following are required: 

1. The possession of a common hunting licence, i.e: General, Regional, Regional, Local, valid for the Prefecture of Messinia.

**Article 2 - SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS FOR THE ISSUE OF A SPECIFIC AUTHORISATION** 

In order to obtain the special permit for hunting in the N.C.P., the interested hunter in person or his legal representative must submit to the Forestry Department of Kalamata: 

1. Application form with his/her details (surname, name, father's name, occupation, home address, Identity Card Number, Tax Identification Number, Hunting Licence Number and type of licence) and the date he/she wishes to hunt with the other members of the group. 

2. Photocopy of the Thera Licence (second, third and current visa). Foreign hunters shall also submit a translated copy of their country's hunting licence. 

3. The amount of money required. 

4. Proof of payment of the hire fee for the transport to and from Sapienza Island with the contracted vessel.

**Article 3 - TIME OF HUNTING** 

The hunt starts on Monday 4 November 2024 and ends on Thursday 12 December 2024. 

Hunting days for the period from 4-11-2024 to 5-12-2024 are defined as any: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. 

Hunting days for the period from 9-12-2024 to 10-12-2024 are Monday and Tuesday. 

Hunting may begin one (1) hour after sunrise and end at 14:00 noon.

**Article 4 - PRICES OF SPECIAL LICENCES** 

1. The price of the Special Permit is determined as follows: 

   a) For Messinian hunters 35,00 € 

   b) For other Greek hunters, nationals of countries - members of the European Union and nationals of foreign countries (outside the EU) who reside in Greece for more than 15 years, 50,00 € 

   c) For nationals of foreign countries outside the EU 100,00 € 

2. The prices of special permits are subject to 24% VAT. 

3. The special permit is valid for one hunting day only. 

4. Hunters who are nationals of foreign countries (outside the EU), in addition to the special permit, must be provided with a general hunting permit issued by the Forestry Department of Kalamata, paying the respective fees as defined by the annual decision of the Ministry of Environment and Energy on the regulation of hunting issues, which are as follows: 

   a) Up to 15 days: 60,00 € 

   b) Up to two (2) months: 120,00 €. 

In addition, an insurance policy covering the hunter in case of a hunting accident in our country is required.

**Article 5 - ORGANISATION OF HUNTING** 

1. Hunting during the period from 4-11-2024 to 5-12-2024 will be conducted only in groups in the presence of a designated body. 

2. Up to twelve (12) hunters divided into three (3) groups (4 hunters per group) may hunt each hunting day during the above period. 

3. On Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 December, up to four (4) individual hunters may hunt each day in whose name no Special Permit has been issued before to hunt during the period from 4-11-2024 to 5-12-2024. 

4. The transportation of hunters from Methoni to Sapienza is only possible with the boat contracted by the Forestry Department. 

   The cost for a full itinerary (from Methoni to Sapienza Island and back to Methoni) during the period from 4-11-2024 to 5-12-2024 per hunting day is set at nine hundred euros (900,00 €) including VAT, which will be shared equally among the hunters who hunt on that day. 

   The cost for a full itinerary (from Methoni to Sapienza Island and back to Methoni) during the period from 9-12-2024 to 10-12-2024 per hunting day is set at five hundred euros (500,00 €) including VAT, which will be shared equally among the hunters who hunt on that day.

**Article 6 - PROCEDURE FOR ISSUING SPECIFIC AUTHORISATIONS** 

1. The special hunting permits are issued by the Kalamata Registry Office (no special hunting permits are issued in the R.C.P.). 

2. Those interested in hunting must submit to the Forestry Department of Kalamata the documents required for the issuance of a special permit as mentioned in par. 1 and 2 of Article 2 of this hunting programme. 

   Applications will be accepted from the publication of this Programme in the Government Gazette until Tuesday 26 November for those wishing to hunt in groups during the period from 4-11-2024 to 5-12-2024 and from Monday 11 November until Tuesday 3 December for those wishing to hunt individually on 9 and 10-12-2024 on working days from 08:30-13:00. 

   Applications for groups of less than four (4) hunters for those wishing to hunt by 5-12-2024 will not be accepted and will be rejected without further proceedings. 

   Applications from those wishing to hunt in groups by 5-12-2024 shall be submitted and protocolled on a group-by-group basis. Once applications have been registered, no changes will be made to the hunters in the groups. Applications from those wishing to hunt on 9 and 10 December shall be registered individually. The protocol number determines the first come, first served. 

   The applications that have been submitted are sorted by hunting day and the hunters or their legal representatives are notified by email to pay the required amount of money for the issue of the Special Permit within the deadline and submit a photocopy of the Proof of Payment for the cost of transport to and from the Island of Sapienza with the contracted boat for all hunting days. 

   Failure to pay the fee for the issue of the Special Permit and failure to produce the Proof of Payment of Hire Fee for transport to and from Sapienza Island, even by one hunter in the group, shall exclude the whole group from entry to the N.C.P. 

   Payment of the fee for the Special Permit shall be made exclusively by deposit/transfer to the bank account of the Service from a personal bank account of the hunter or his legal representative. 

3. The applicant hunters in person or their legal representatives must obtain the special hunting permit in good time. 

4. If a hunter fails to report for a hunt on the day set for him, he shall not be entitled to use the permit for that day for another hunting day, and the fee paid shall not be refunded. 

5. In the event that the hunt is not conducted due to bad weather or other reasons during the period from 4-11-2024 to 5-12-2024, a hunt may be conducted by those who wish to hunt and who presented themselves for a hunt on the day appointed for them, on Friday of the current week. 

   If the hunt is not held on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 December due to bad weather or for any other reason, hunts may be held on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 December respectively for those who wish to hunt on the day appointed for them. 

   To those hunters who do not wish to hunt and who had presented themselves for hunting on the day they were scheduled to hunt, the amounts paid for the issue of the Special Permit will be refunded by depositing/transferring them from the bank account of the service to the accounts from which they were deposited/transferred, with the costs of the banking transactions being charged. These hunters or their legal representatives must submit to the Forestry Department of Kalamata by Friday 13 December the dispatch note - invoice issued for this Special Game Permit. 

   For those Special Game Permits for which the corresponding Dispatch Notes - Invoices have not been submitted, the monies shall be paid by the Forestry Office of Kalamata to the Green Fund. The Service shall not be responsible for the reimbursement of the rental fee paid for the transport to and from Sapienza Island by the contracted vessel.

**Article 7 - MEANS OF HUNTING - DOGS** 

1. Hunting shall be carried out only with an incubating hunting weapon with a smoothbore, single-barreled or double-barreled shotgun or a repeating shotgun which carries up to three (3) cartridges in total, of which one (1) in the chamber and two (2) in the magazine. 

2. Only single-shot cartridges will be used for hunting. 

3. Dogs are prohibited from hunting. The use of radios, binoculars, etc. as hunting aids is also prohibited. Mobile phones may not be used as hunting aids.

**Article 8 - CONDUCT OF THE HUNT** 

1. Hunting shall be carried out at the sole discretion of the designated body of the HACP when weather conditions are favourable and visibility is good. 

2. The hunting permit and the special permit shall be delivered to the designated bodies of the Hellenic Republic before the start of the hunting season and returned at the end of the season. 

3. The positions to be hunted by groups of hunters are determined before the start of the hunt and before boarding the boat. In the event that more than one team is interested in hunting the same position, a draw will be made. 

4. Hunting parties shall always be accompanied by the designated officials of the Controlled Hunting Area, whose instructions they must obey. Hunters must take all necessary measures to prevent all types of accidents and to ensure the safe use and transport of their hunting weapons. The Agency shall not be held responsible for any injury or accident during the hunt or during the journey from Methoni to Sapienza and back to Methoni. During the hunt, hunters must wear fluorescent orange clothing (excluding the plain stripes) on their bodies, visible from all angles, in order to avoid accidents. 

5. It shall be prohibited to remove hunters from their team. It is also prohibited to move them away from the area designated to be hunted by the designated authorities of the Controlled Area. Careless hunters, hunters who are dangerous to the safety of their colleagues or employees of the Controlled Area and hunters in general who do not obey the instructions of the authorities of the Controlled Area may be removed from the Controlled Area and deprived of hunting without further notice or compensation for the current hunting season. 

6. The institutions of the NCA may group groups of hunters or individual hunters into teams. 

7. A hunter who does not carry a weapon is not allowed to enter the R.C.P. even if he/she holds a Special Permit. 

8. It shall be prohibited to hunt from the vessel and in the traps. 

9. A hunter who, in the absolute judgement of the authorised body monitoring the hunt, injures game and fails to collect it shall pay the value of the game and shall be deprived of the right to enter the hunting ground for the current hunting season. 

10. The hunting of undeveloped furred game and female goats is prohibited. Undeveloped furred game shall be defined as: wild sheep of three (3) years of age and goats of two (2) years of age. In the event of injury or killing of a non-developed furred game animal or a female goat, the person responsible shall be charged in accordance with paragraph 1.18 of Article 287 of Law 86/1969, as amended and in force, a prison sentence of up to three (3) months and an administrative fine of two hundred (€ 200,00) euros plus the value of the game as determined by column (6) of the table below. The value of the female goat shall be valued at €1,000.00 for all hunters. VAT 24% is added to the above prices. 

11. In the event that a prey whose hunting is prohibited under this program is killed or an undeveloped furred prey or a female goat is intentionally killed, this act shall be considered illegal hunting. In this case, the offenders shall be prosecuted under the provisions on hunting and for violation of a hunting regulation (Article 287 of Law 86/1969) and shall be deprived of hunting without any other formulation or compensation for the current hunting season. The game and hunting equipment shall be confiscated. The confiscated game shall be sold. The trophies from the confiscated game shall remain at the disposal of the Hunting Club and the Agency. 

12. Hunting shall be suspended in any case deemed necessary by the body responsible for the conduct of the hunt.

**Article 9 - MODIFICATION - CESSATION OF HUNTING** 

By decision of the Deputy Director of Forests of Messinia following a recommendation of the Forestry Department of Kalamata, the Game Programme may be modified or discontinued.

** ALLOWED GAMES FOR HUNTING
GAME PRICES FOR : HUNTING PREMIUM PERMITS, TROPHY FEE, HARVEST TAX FOR TROPHY -  PRICE IN EUR ** 

The permitted number of prey and their values are shown in the table below:

Kind

Total number

Number Allowed

Hunters

Others

Aliens

 

game (1)

Hunting Season (2)

of game per hunter (3)

Greece

Hunters (EU)

Other hunters

 
             

Wild sheep

Females: 5

1 per

€140.00

€180.00

€350.00

 

(Ovis aries musimon)

hunting season

 
         

Wild sheep

Males: 10

1 per

€170.00

€210.00

€370.00

 

(Ovis aries musimon)

hunting season

 
         

Goat - Ibex

Males: 20

1 per

€250.00

€320.00

€500.00

 

(Capra aegagrus cretica)

hunting season

 
         

 

**In case it is hunted:** 

a) Wild sheep with a horn length of more than 45 cm (outer side) – the price of the prey is charged with 10 € for each cm over 45 cm. 

b) Goat with a horn length of less than 55 cm (outer side) – the price of the prey is charged with the amount of 500 €. 

c) Goat with a horn length of more than 55 cm (outer side) and less than 80 cm (outer side) – the price of the prey shall be charged with the amount of 300 €. 

d) Goat with a horn length of more than 80 cm (outer side) – the price of the prey shall be charged with the amount of 300 €, and for each cm over 80 with 10 €. 

VAT 24% is added to the above prices.

 

If the total number of game allowed for a hunting season is reached, hunting of that game species shall be suspended. If the total number of game permitted is exceeded during the hunt, the hunt may be authorised for the period of time necessary to inform all the hunters hunting on that day by the authorities of the HACP.

**Article 11 - PAYMENT OF THE VALUE OF THE GAME** 

1. After the end of the hunt, the authorized body of the H.C.P. will issue to the hunter an Invoice of Sale of the Service, and the value of the game will be collected by deposit/transfer to the bank account of the Service. The receipt given to the hunter will be a legal title of possession of the game mentioned in it, for transportation, etc. 

2. The value of the killed game when hunted by a group consisting of Messinian and other Greek hunters, or hunters who are nationals of Member States of the European Union, is determined by the value indicated in column (5) of the above table. If the group has foreign hunters from other foreign countries outside the EU, then the value is determined by the column (6) of the table.

**Article 12 - DEPARTURE - RETURN** 

The departure of the hunters and the authorized bodies of the N. Sapienza H.C.P. from the port of Methoni will be at 7:45 - 8:00, and the return from Sapienza at 14:30 - 15:00. 

If for any reason or cause the departure does not take place by 09:00, the hunt is postponed.

**Article 13 - VISITORS TO THE E.C.P.** 

1. It is forbidden for anyone to enter and stay in the R.C.P. without permission from the Forestry Authority. 

2. The E.K.P. Sapienza Island can be visited for scientific, educational, and knowledge purposes of the flora, fauna, and generally its ecosystem, by those who wish (Clubs, Associations, etc.) after permission from the Forestry Department of Kalamata, except on hunting days. The manner, time, behaviour, and other obligations within the hunting area will be specified in the relevant licence. 

3. Visitors to the N.C.P. must take care of their safety and accident prevention, which is their care and responsibility. The Service cannot be held responsible for any accident that may occur during their stay at the Centre.

**Article 14 - OTHER PROVISIONS** 

1. No photography or filming of game and hunting activities is allowed during the hunt as defined by this program. 

   Photography and filming of game outside the above period are only permitted with the permission of the competent Ministry. 

   In the event of photographing or filming game and hunting activities or the detection of the existence of audiovisual material of illegal photographing and filming of game and hunting activities, the perpetrator shall be prosecuted for violation of this regulatory-prohibitory provision and shall be deprived of the right to hunt. 

2. Hunters are required to collect and remove the cartridges they have used from the NCA. 

3. During the period of validity of this Agreement, the measures in force to protect against COVID-19 shall apply. 

4. For matters not covered by this Regulation, which has the status of a hunting regulation, the general provisions on hunting shall apply. 

5. Any other details concerning the operation of the N.C.P. that are not included in the present programme shall be determined by the supervisor of the N.C.P. within the framework of decree 453/1977. 

6. Violators of the provisions on hunting and of this regulatory-prohibitory provision shall be prosecuted. 

7. The possession of the special hunting permit and the entry of a visitor to the N.C.P. implies the unconditional acceptance and application of the above mentioned. 

This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Greece.

Kalamata, October 4, 2023

 

By order of the Secretary-General of Forests,
The Director

GEORGEO SUTIROPOLO

Refund Policy

If a shot draws blood, it will terminate the hunt and start the search for the wounded animal. If the animal is injured and not found while the hunter is present, the animal will be considered dead. The search for the trophy will continue and, if found, it will be sent to the hunter. The hunt finishes once the animal is shot. If trophy is taken or wounded, or two reasonable chances have been missed or passed over the hunt is over. In case of 4 days bad weather and/or no chances to shoot during the 4 days hunt on animal the refund is according the current year government trophy fee (harvest tax) table for the requested trophy size or up to gold medal SCI scoring.

Translator: Google Translate

 

Firearm regulation

The only legal hunting weapon in Greece is open sight /no optics/ smoothbore barrel shotgun /without rifling/ with slugs. And bow. Hunting is a popular pastime in Greece, mainly on the mainland and mountainous areas. Wild boar and woodcock are commonly hunted animals. Both a shotgun permit and hunting licence are required to hunt in Greece. A shotgun can be bought without a licence, but it must then be registered with the police. A shotgun permit must then be applied for within one month at the local Police station. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. The penalty for being in possession of an unregistered rifle or shotgun without a permit may be up to four months in prison. Only single or double barrelled smooth shotguns, with a rifle length over 1m and holding no more than three bullets are permitted.