At the inauguration, the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida, declared himself pleasantly surprised by the continuation of the event. «I'm here to testify how intimately this world is connected with a model that represents the good part of the nation and that involves good people and the many sportsmen who honor us around the world by bringing home excellent results. As well as a supply chain that employs people so as not to make them surrender to an unemployment rate that is increasing and which cannot be met with bonuses, subsidies or operations such as the citizenship bonus. This world is important for the economy, but also for culture because some weapons are true works of art». 
He then recalled the very recent application circular, signed with the Minister of the Environment Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, which aims to solve the problems of interpretation of the European regulation on the ban on lead in wetlands. A document that comes in response to the requests of hunters and their associations e "minimizes the inconvenience of hunters, classifying wetlands in the most specific way, avoiding restrictive interpretations on vigilance". The minister then stressed that "our government has never played into the game of those who criminalize hunting and citizens who are controlled more than others because they have a firearm license". He recalled the epochal legalization of the 9 × 19 and then undertook to resolve the wild boar and wolf emergency in a sensible way, without prejudice and taking into account the best European practices.
Patrizio Carotta, managing director of EOS show, had previously illustrated the numbers of the sector. «We have made the fair more beautiful, attractive, immersive, captivating. More and more responsive to what the "made in Italy" production and the market deserve. The Made in Italy component in this sector is strong, very strong, second only to that of the United States. Which is a source of pride and pushes us to aspire to something more also from the point of view of exhibitions». 
Last year was yet another record year for Italian arms production: over 1.140.000 sporting guns produced, 87% of which are exported all over the world. Leading the ranking are sporting and hunting long guns. The total value of the sector, between direct production and activities related to hunting and shooting, amounts to 7,5 billion euros, equal to 0,42 percent of GDP. And the number of people employed in the arms and ammunition sector, including related industries, is equal to 19, also considering the sectors related to hunting and shooting activities, the figure reaches 80. Firearms licenses in 2021 were 1.222.537, 96% of which for shooters (543.803) and hunters (631.304). A vintage to frame also for the outdoor sector in 2021: an overall increase of 27% in "sell in" in Italy with 986 million more products placed on the market, especially clothing and footwear at +16%. The upward trend seems to be confirmed for 2022 (+17,4% the sell-out recorded in the first months of 2022).
In our country, i sport and recreational fishermen there are about 2,5 million. The workforce involved is approximately 15 units. The turnover of related industries can be estimated at around 2,8/3 billion euros and includes the expenses incurred by each fisherman.
Sport has an extraordinary relevance in the sector. This was underlined by Luciano Rossi, president of FITAV and very recent president of the International Shooting Federation ISSF, who then presented the World Cup 2023 scheduled at Trap Concaverde from 8 to 17 July next. Jean François Palinkas, president of FITASC, then recognized the leading role of the Italian sports organization and the Italian arms industry at a global level.
The conference "Wolf resource or problem?", organized by the National Coordination of Huntresses Federcaccia and by Federcaccia, ended with an appeal to politics to take its responsibilities. Giorgia Romeo, from the Federcaccia Study and Research Center underlined the presence of 3.600 wolves in the country, according to Ispra data, given that it includes not only the Italian wolf, but also hybrids. Professor Paolo Ciucci of the La Sapienza University of Rome considers the management of the species essential, which does not happen in Italy, unlike other European countries. It is not the scientists who have to find solutions, but the politicians, given the dramatic nature of the situation which has seen the predation of more than 300 hunting, truffle and domestic dogs taken from the vicinity of homes in the current hunting season alone. The Coordination of female hunters is undertaking to collect all possible data on predation to submit the most precise photograph possible to the Ministry of the Environment, so that it can then make decisions aimed at solving the problem, which causes very high levels of alarm in the population.
In the "Fishing Arena" the Veneto Region presented the "regional fish map", a tool of enormous importance in order to adequately manage the waters of the Veneto. The "Project Salmonids", on the other hand, described with great clarity by the councilor Cristiano Corazzari, has the objective of countering the devastating effect of the "storm Vaia" which in 2018 practically eliminated the fish populations of some watercourses in the North-East. Repopulation interventions will be carried out in some streams and a part of the available resources will be used to strengthen and restore very important hatcheries thanks to which the marble trout population will be strengthened in particular.
In hall 6again tomorrow l'ENCI International Calibration Dog Show, National Organization of Italian Dogs. Today 314 dogs of 71 hunting breeds and over 400 of other breeds were judged (tomorrow 490 dogs of 66 hunting breeds, around 1.000 dogs in all).
The conference on genetic research in the canine species was important. Stefano Frattini, ENCI geneticist from Veneto, explained how important genetic tests are to promote the well-being of dogs. The president of ENCI, Dino Muto, strengthened the message by launching the new service which provides for a laboratory test that includes the entire genome of the dog and, then, the ENCI initiative called "Certified Breeder", which gives further recognition to the most deserving breeders, according to restrictive parameters.
EOS show 2023 continues until Monday 13 at Veronafiere. To access EOS there are two entrances: ReTeodorico, in viale
dell'Industria and San Zeno, in viale del Lavoro. You can leave your car in the P4 and P7 car parks. A specific parking area is reserved for exhibitors.
The timetable for tomorrow is 9-18 and 9-16 on Monday 13/2. The ticket can be purchased on the site www.eos-show.com at 13 euros (+expenses) or at the ticket office at 17 euros for those with a firearms licence, at 20 euros the full price, always registering the data. Access to minors is permitted only if accompanied by their parents or by a person delegated by them. Children under 13 do not pay. Access for people with disabilities and their companion is free. Also in this case it will be necessary to register for both at the ticket office. During the days dedicated to EOS, the Veronafiere exhibition center can welcome dogs equipped with a leash and muzzle.
This year the guns can be tested at the famous Trap Concaverde in Lonato (BS), just 30 minutes from Veronafiere, which exceptionally for EOS has equipped itself with lines dedicated to rifled weapons and pistols. Shuttle service every 30 minutes from the EOS entrance, Saturday and Sunday from 9,30 to 16,30.
EOS-European Outdoor show is a major trade fair, in its second edition, organized by the Consortium of Italian Gunsmiths (Con.Arm.I) and by Pintails Srl. On the website eos-show.com news and exhibitor list, all calendars and more information are available.
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