Federcaccia: Macerata, too much misinformation on the containment of the pigeon on the provincial territory, better to clarify.
Regarding the articles that have appeared in the local press in recent days: “In Civitanova, pigeons are shot. Residents in alarm ”,“ Shooting in the countryside of Civitanova Alta. Pigeon shooting starts. All regular ”it should be pointed out that the city pigeon represents the domestic form of the wild species“ Columba Livia ”. The opinion issued by ISPRA (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) on 05 February 2009 with note 005042 highlights how the legal location of the city pigeon (Columba Livia domestic variety), has been modified by virtue of Sentence no. 2598 of the Court of Cassation Section III Penalty of January 26, 2004, which, given that according to art. 2 of the National Law 157/1992 are part of the wild fauna object of protection of the Law "the species of mammals and birds of which there are populations living permanently or temporarily in a state of natural freedom in the national territory", establishes that the city pigeon should also assimilated to wild animals as it "lives in a state of natural freedom in the national territory".
The carrier pigeon or the pigeon bred for food or sporting reasons still belong to the domestic or domesticated species. From this sentence it follows, among other things, that the reference for the management of conflicts attributable to the city dove must be identified in the National Law 11 February 1992 n. 157, concerning “Rules for the protection of homeothermic wildlife and for the exercise of hunting”. On the basis of paragraph 2 of art. 19 of the aforementioned law, the Regions and by proxy the Provinces have the right to control wildlife: for the best management of the livestock, for the protection of the soil, for health reasons, for biological selection, for the protection of the historical heritage. -artistic, for the protection of zoo-agro-forestry and fish productions.
Therefore, what is reported by the media must absolutely not be confused with "hunting trips" and even less with "pigeon shooting" (among other things now prohibited for decades), as the pigeon is not among the huntable species and the period in which hunting is allowed is between the 10st of September and the 25th of February with limitations on times, species, animals and methods. Therefore, now only the control of surplus fauna is carried out and specifically for the pigeon, in the presence of damage to crops, reported by agricultural associations, as expressly provided for by art. 7 of the Regional Law n. 1995/XNUMX.
The subjects in charge of the operations are the Hunting Guards dependent on the Province; the latter can make use of the owners and tenants of the funds on which the control plans are implemented, provided they have a license for hunting, as well as forest guards and municipal guards with a license for hunting, voluntary hunting guards , by operators authorized by the province through preparation courses for wildlife management with a license for hunting. During these operations, all the provisions in force regarding public safety are respected, always using the utmost caution, attention and prudence, especially in an anthropized area such as that of the coastal strip.
The control of the surplus fauna is an important element for the management of the territory and for the protection of agricultural crops. The fauna is an unavailable patrimony of the State and therefore is an asset of the whole community but the damage to the crops is compensated to the farmers in the territory managed by the Territorial Areas of Hunting using the quotas paid by the hunters.
Nazzareno Galassi
Provincial Vice President Federcaccia Macerata
(April 5, 2014)