Il pochard (Aythya ferina) is an anatid that in the last two years has suffered the suspension of hunting in many Italian regions, following the change in classification AEWA extension and the position expressed by the Ministry of the Environment (now MITE). The reason is an established decline until 2015 in all the European wintering areas, while more recent data is showing a recovery of presences in Italy and in some European areas. Just the pochard is the subject of environmental improvement activities in many contexts managed by hunters, in particular in fixed hunting stalks on natural and artificial wetlands and in many valley wildlife hunting companies, present in various Italian regions. In this context we point out in particular the results obtained in the AFVs of the Po Delta and the Lagoon of Venice and Caorle up to Friuli, which led to significant increases in the presence of the species during migrations and winter and to significant densities also in the reproductive period.
For this important moment of the biological cycle, several AFV owners and managers have created areas of deep water and islets in the lakes of the valleys that have been chosen for the nesting of the species, and in these days it is frequent the sighting of broods of pochards, which follow the sightings of groups of males in the period of May and mid-June, when the females were hatching. A work of the Sagittaria Cultural Association of Rovigo estimated in 2014 about 100 pairs, and the average of the last five years is about 85. To this estimate we must add several dozen couples present in the AFVs of the Venice Lagoon, Padua and Caorle. The same Sagittaria Association it is carrying out a specific research on the complex of the reserved valleys, and the results should be published soon.
In any case, it can be estimated that no less than 120 pairs nest in these preserved and managed environments only thanks to the hunting interest and with costs incurred by the concessionaires. To these are also added the pairs that in other Italian regions reproduce in environments managed by hunters, such as fixed stalking on artificial wetlands or created from scratch. The overall estimate for Italy is included between 280 and 380 pairs, it can therefore be said that a number of not less than one third of the Italian estimate choose the habitats managed by hunters to reproduce. Pochard needs useful habitat to live and reproduce, hunters are creating and maintaining it, contributing to the conservation of the species (Source: Hunting Federation).