Hunting and Fauna: Lazio, the regional decree for the protection of the Marsican Bear provokes the protest of the mayors of the municipalities of the Comino Valley.
In particular, it can be read in a press release released by the Municipality of Picinisco in the province of Frosinone: "Raising of shields of the mayors of the Comino Valley against Decree 247 of 5 August with which the Lazio Region set the hunting and regulated calendar hunting methods for the protection of the Marsican bear on the Lazio side of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. To inspire the limitations on hunting methods, in particular the reduction in the number of dogs usable for wild boar hunting, the intention to protect the Marsican bear. All the mayors of the Comino valley concerned have coalesced against the decree, gathered around a technical table by the mayor of Picinisco Marco Scappaticci and by the head of the Picinisco Hunters Association Fabrizio De Marco.
In a meeting the other evening, the first citizens of Alvito, Picinisco, S. Biagio Saracinisco, S. Donato Valcomino, Settefrati and Pescosolido, but also those of Campoli Appennino and Vallerotonda agreed to the next initiatives to be taken, decided to oppose by any means permitted the provisions of the Decree, in particular in the part concerning the limitations to hunting. In the coming days, after a legal consultation, an articulated appeal will be presented to the TAR and the regional councilors of the territory will also be involved to propose an urgent question to the president of the Lazio Region.
“The limitations on wild boar hunting - declares Scappaticci - are a real scourge for our economy which is based on sheep farming and local wildlife farms. The reduction in the number of dogs certainly discourages hunters who come from afar, who will prefer other areas and therefore other companies, causing economic and tourist damage to companies but also to the catering and hotel sector.
Not only that, it is paradoxical that in order to protect the Marsican bear, which in our area has never recorded cases of bears killed by hunters, the boars, whose number for climatic reasons has tripled (!), which are responsible for enormous damage to crops and citizens throughout our area. Damages quantified in approximately 400.000 euros per year never compensated; the Province should do it but it has a specific chapter of only 50.000 euros! Who pays the remaining damages "?
The head of the Hunters Association Fabrizio De Marco, promoter of the Picinisco Wildlife Company, pointed out that "the protection of the Marsican Bear is a code of ethics for hunters who, as soon as they spot one, communicate it via radio to the hunters present, immediately suspending the hunt . Wild boars, on the other hand, strongly reduce the food supplies of the other small animals of the Park, and of the Marsican Bear itself, which have difficulty in feeding and are therefore forced to approach their homes as well.
The limitations imposed by the Decree, therefore, will only bring considerable damage to the already fragile economy of the Comino Valley ”. "It is absurd - concludes the mayor Scappaticci - that these limitations have been adopted only in the Lazio side of the Park of which, among other things, we do not recognize the creation of the so-called 'external respect area' because it does not exist in the other neighboring regions and it does not severely penalize the municipalities of the Comino Valley ”.
(September 29, 2014)
Source: Sora24