Hunting in Abruzzo: the Region has made some changes to the Hunting Calendar to adhere to the assessments of the Regional Administrative Court; Febbo, "the decision of the Tar does not mean closing the hunt".
The Councilor for Hunting of the Abruzzo Region, Mauro Febbo, taking note of the decision of the TAR of L'Aquila to confirm, with its own Ordinance, the previous Suspensive Decree issued by the same Regional Administrative Court on 7 September last without going into the merits of the contents of the provision , he affirmed “The decisions of the Judiciary must be respected and for this reason we would adhere to what is established by the TAR on the hunting calendar. However, we remain convinced of the goodness of our work and this is also why we will challenge the Suspensive Ordinance before the Council of State ”.
Continuing on the decision of the TAR, the commissioner Febbo pointed out that “this decision absolutely does not involve the closure of the hunt, as is erroneously claimed by many parties, creating confusion and unjustified alarmism. The exercise of the hunting activity can now be carried out as per the Calendar on the remaining regional territory and for all species not excluded by the decision of the TAR ".
In fact Febbo explained, "The following species remain huntable, according to the methods and dates provided for in the 2012/2013 Hunting Calendar: Blackbird, Hooded Crow, Magpie, Pheasant, Jay, Hare, Coot, Fox, Cesena, Redwing, Thrush Song, Mallard, Moorhen, Teal, Water Rail, Wigeon, Wood Pigeon, Rock Partridge, Wild Boar and Gray Partridge. For the latter with withdrawal plans approved by the Provinces ".
The ban on hunting remains temporarily in the NATURA 2000 sites (Sic and Zps) and in the bear presence areas identified by the PATOM and the ban on hunting for SPEC species, with the addition of the obligation to adapt to the ISPRA indications for regarding the use of non-toxic ammunition for hunting ungulates.
The councilor for hunting continued, "I still want to underline that, precisely in view of the acceptance of the suspension request, which was then actually intervened, the competent offices have already taken action since September for the Environmental Impact Assessment on the calendar hunting in order to overcome the complaints of the Regional Administrative Court ".
In addition, adds Febbo, “Further measures are also being examined by the Management aimed at restoring hunting times and spaces that have been stolen from the hunting world by the pronouncement of the Tar”. Deprecating the "unjustified and questionable triumphalism of some environmental associations regarding the Tar Ordinance, which simply confirmed the previous Suspensive Decree", the commissioner Febbo made it known that he had made some interventions pending the judgment on the merits, on which he says he is very confident, in order to avoid further damage to those who legitimately exercise the hunting activity.
Concluding then Febbo explained, “The regional administration confirms the goodness of the choices made and the contents of the hunting calendar as they respect the current regulatory framework and the principles and techniques of wildlife management. In any case, we have decided to make some changes and additions to the current hunting calendar prepared in order to adapt it to the Tar Ordinance of 10 October us.These will be contained in a proposal for a Resolution that I will present during the next session of the Regional Council scheduled for Monday 15 October ".
The changes to which the Councilor for Hunting refers concern in particular the SIC, ZPS, PATOM and SPEC species; as regards the SIC and ZPS areas, measures will be adopted to limit any disturbance caused by the exercise of the hunting activity through the use of dogs and the same hunting pressure. For example, hunting days will be reduced from three fixed weekly days to two fixed weekly days for those forms of hunting that use tracking dogs, the number of which has also been reduced to three per pack. In this regard, Febbo criticizes environmentalists, underlining that "the attention paid by environmentalists to those packs of stray and wild dogs that swarm freely in these prestigious territories causing major and uncontrolled disturbances does not appear so high".
Furthermore, for the PATOM areas, the limitations already provided for the ZPE (External protection zones) of the PNALM are extended in all the areas identified by the Ministry of the Environment as areas of stable presence of the Bear. All the measures and limitations established for SCIs and SPAs also apply.
Finally, the commissioner for hunting adds “as regards the SPEC species in accordance with the order of the Tar, they are subtracted from hunting with the exception of the Woodcock. For the latter, in fact, we comply with the guidelines dictated by Ispra ”.
In conclusion Febbo added “Furthermore, management systems for the Woodcock are introduced for the first time in Abruzzo, and perhaps in Italy, such as the assessment of the age classes of the culled individuals. On this aspect too, ISPRA has expressed a favorable opinion ”.
13 October 2012