 Opponents claim hare-coursing is inhumane |
A row has erupted after a hare coursing club in County Tyrone was refused a permit to net the animals for a meeting planned next week.
Stormont Environment Minister Angela Smith, who has campaigned against blood sports in the past, said her personal views played no part in her decision to refuse the license to the Dungannon club.
She said further measures were planned to protect the hare population, preventing them being taken or killed.
However, rural groups have been outraged at her decision to refuse the permit and have accused the minister of showing prejudice.
Ms Smith said she had made her decision because the Irish hare was in danger.
"It is low in numbers and the DoE has published a species action plan, which has among its objectives the doubling of the Irish hare population by 2010," she said.
"Although I accept that the dogs are muzzled during coursing, there is evidence that deaths among the coursed hares can arise from causes other than being bitten.
"Anything that puts the lives and welfare of the Irish hare at risk is inconsistent with the policy objectives of the species action plan."
The minister also expressed concern about the practice of importing hares, including Irish hares, netted in the Republic of Ireland for coursing events in Northern Ireland.
"I therefore intend to take up with my ministerial counterpart in the Irish Government the practice of allowing hares to be netted in the south for export to Northern Ireland for coursing," she added.
She said the DoE had commissioned a review of the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 which will examine the recommendation that the Irish hare should be included in a list of species which are protected at all times from being killed or taken.
The minister said the review would take about year to complete but would, in the meantime, be consulting the public on plans for a special protection order to prohibit the killing or taking of hares.
The chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, Douglas Batchelor, welcomed the minister's decisions.
He said: "Coursing hares for sport is cruel and unnecessary, and our campaign to end this barbaric practice has the full support of 74% of people across Northern Ireland.
"Despite the decision by Angela Smith to give future protection to the Irish hare, it is a tragedy that hares captured in the Republic of Ireland may still be subjected to a sickening chase and a violent death this October, in order to satisfy the bloodlust of those who regard abusing animals for sport as acceptable."
But Dungannon Coursing Club has been angered by the decision to refuse the licence and may take legal action.
A spokesperson said the decision was an "outrageous display of personal prejudice and arrogance by a blow-in minister".
"Angela Smith has heavy personal baggage as a former press officer of the English-based group League Against Cruel Sports and has abused her ministerial power in pursuing her own personal agenda," said the spokesperson.
"She has acted against all scientific evidence which supported our application and has no evidence to back up her refusal of the license."
The Countryside Alliance, a country sports group, also reacted angrily to the decision.
Director of political affairs Gordon Anderson said independent research had consistently shown that where coursing takes place there were more hares as a result of "sympathetic land management".
"Coursing clubs take great steps to conserve habitat, protect hares from predation," he said.
"These are positive conservation moves to help increase the Irish Hare population and yet Angela Smith seems intent on damaging this good work.
"Angela Smith runs the risk of alienating the very people that are vital to hare conservation. "
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Although I accept that the dogs are muzzled during coursing, there is evidence that deaths among the coursed hares can arise from causes other than being bitten 
