THE‘optimism, on the sites of hunting enthusiasts, is palpable. The agricultural and environment commissions of the Senate will return to meet on Wednesday 10 September to discuss and plausibly approve the DDL on hunting, Inspired by the Minister of Agriculture Lollobrigida. This despite the wall of 46 environmental and animalistic organizations, including the WWF, Legambiente, Lipu and Enpa, according to which the DDL “is the worst attack never launched to wildlife in Italy”. In reality, many of the expected changes regularize and legitimize behaviors that hunters have already made for some time, in derogation. How, in derogation, on September 1st it was the hunting season pre -opening in many regions. Against the reform, was launched by WWF the petition Stop wild hunting and organized events. Like that, yesterday, in Como against the risk “to transform the‘Italy in a destination of “hunting tourism”», With” armed trekking “in our woods and the Alps, at the expense of parks and natural oases.
The reform of the hunting law, “national cultural heritage”
Hunting in Italy is regulated by a 1992 law. Since then the land covered by woods have increased a lot. And they are The populations of some animals also grown, first of all that of wild boars. Their large -scale killing, for example in Piedmont, is thus told as fundamental for Avoid damage to human activities and counteract the pig plague.
In general, the DDL describes Hunting as a “national cultural heritage” and attributes to hunters a role of bioregolators. Article 2 is symbolic who attributes to hunting the ability of “contribute to the protection of biodiversity“: Thesis naturally contested by environmental organizations. If the wild boars have spread in abundance, unfortunately it is precisely due to the entrances made by the hunters in the past decades. Those same wild boars now demolished by the so -called” fauna management activities “.
From the protection of animals to commodification
Liberalizing hunting, sECONDO DANTE CASERTA, LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL Affairs Manager WWF Italy, the bill «wants turn the values into play, including the constitutional ones, and pass by an approach based on the protection and conservation of natural wealth to one based on their commodification or on the vision of a hostile nature to be contained with brutality ».
What does the new DDL on hunt includes
Among the controversial points: the increase in species of Birds captured as live references.
The use of optical and electronic tools also for the night hunt for ungulates. The unlimited extension of the storage storage and the references raised in captivity.
The prolongation of timetables (even after sunset, undermining the safety of those who live and work in nature) and the hunting seasons (opening up to the possibility of hunting also in the months of migration and nesting, in violation of the birds directive). Among the particularly vulnerable species to an extension of the hunting activity, according to WWF, the wild wrong, the lark, the quail, the moriglione, the whistle, the pavoncella, the wild rabbit.
Furthermore, the possibility of reducing protected areas in the regions that protect more than 30% of the territory, in contrast with the constitutional and administrative jurisprudence. Opening to hunting in state forests. The possibility of hunting on mountain passes and snow.
Penalties of up to 900 euros for those who protest against animal killings during control activities.
The text also moves the authorization power by the scientific authorities, such as the ISPRA, to the Regions, Thus giving a margin of political discretion that risks compromising impartiality in environmental protection.
Hunting tourism in Italy
Among the changes proposed there is also the possibility of transform hunting associations, today non-profit organizations, in real tourist-senior companiesthus opening the road to hunting tourism.
There will also be the equation of the foreign hunting licenses, To attract these new tourists (although even today those who have an interest in hunting in Italy can enable themselves here despite being residing abroad).
Below, in any case, also the reading of the DDL of Massimo Buconi of the Italian Federation of Hunting.
Italians and hunting
Second there Research on the perception of hunting among European citizens Commissioned in Savanta from Eurogroup for Animalswhich also includes Lav, 79% of Italian citizens who live in rural areas consider wild animal animals that should be protected. 76% believe that the protection of biodiversity and the well -being of animals is more important Compared to the maintenance of hunting traditions and 72% who declare themselves contrary to hunting against animals born and raised in captivity, Like the tens of thousands of hares and pheasants that every year Italian hunters release in the area for the sole purpose of shooting them on hunting days.
As for the hunters, In 1980 about one million and 700 thousand hunters were active, are currently less than 500 thousand. The great Part is more than 65 years old today and thousands are over 80 years old.