THEAssociation for Rural Culture had sounded the alarm about the danger that the wild dove was removed from the Italian hunting calendars. The pochard, lapwing and others run the same danger 16 species considered in a bad state of conservation at European level. We were immediately accused of excessive alarmism, both by noblemen Italian hunting managers that by some neophyte of politics identified as a point of reference by the aforementioned managers.
We had said that if adequate national management plans were not approved for the species considered in a bad state of conservation at the community level, there would have been a real danger that these species would be removed from the regional hunting calendars, either by decisions of the Italian regions or by a pronouncement by the Regional Administrative Courts with which the animal-environmentalists with their appeals. Instead of raising your voice loudly and demanding from the national government the convening of the State Regions Conference for the approval of the necessary national management plans of these species, the vast majority of Italian hunting leaders prefer to remain silent and suffer in silence.
In accordance with the unsuccessful policy of the artichoke, we are having all the leaves removed one by one until we are left with only the stem in hand. How long will these leaders continue to play defense and remain guilty in silence? Is there any political boss who requires them not to disturb their political and institutional contacts while making agreements with the anti-huntsmen? How long will the hunters still be willing to suffer in silence and to finance with their cards the usual hunting managers who continue to demonstrate their inadequacy for the role they have undeservedly held? (Hon. Sergio Berlato - Protemporary President of the Association for Rural Culture).