Hunting: Friuli, Panontin councilor, with the favorable vote of the Wildlife Committee, continues the hunting activity regarding the collection of Thrush, Cesena and Beccaccia despite the contrary decision of the regional manager; the controversy and the accusations of the environmentalists were immediate.
Adhering to the request of the Ministry of the Environment made last December aimed at avoiding EU infringement procedures against Italy, the regional manager of the department of Hunting of Friuli Venezia Giulia had decided to bring forward the closure of the hunting sampling of the species Thrush, Cesena and Woodcock to January 20 instead of January 31. Nevertheless, the regional councilor for hunting, Paolo Panontin, submitted to the Regional Fauna Committee the possibility of continuing the hunting activity against the species in question, obtaining the favorable vote. The controversy in the Region within the councilorship was immediate and the accusations of animal welfare associations were inevitable. With a joint note from the Lipu, Legambiente, Lac, Lav and WWF associations, they denounce, "Panontin has chosen to be on the side of the worst hunting world, against the scientific and research world, the Minister of the Environment, its offices and antithesis with the public interest. The Regional Wildlife Committee chaired by Panontin has spoken out against the early closure of hunting for the three bird species migratory".
Continuing, the note reads, “The request for an advance was made last December by the Ministry of the Environment to avoid yet another EU infringement procedure against Italy. One of the basic principles of European legislation is to avoid affecting the populations in the reproductive period. But in Italy many regions have not adapted and among these the FVG stands out ”. According to environmentalists, in 2001 the European Commission had already produced a document that provided for the closure of the woodcock hunt by the first ten days of January, "Panontin, on the other hand, as president of the Committee was of a different opinion and decided to vote with the hunters . Result of the vote: six in favor and six against (Ispra, the universities of Udine and Trieste, the two representatives of the environmental associations, the head of the hunting service). But in the event of a tie, the president's vote is worth double ”.
Councilor Panontin replied immediately, “I'm not on anyone's side. The decision is the result of an in-depth analysis also carried out with the Ministry of the Environment. The EU has not opened any infringements against Italy, it has only requested clarifications from Rome. My manager's no vote? He has chosen in conscience, probably moving on the terrain of total prudence, but I do not see anything strange. I did the same because I believe that, for now, there is no need to change the hunting calendar of the FVG ”.
(January 12, 2015)
Source: Animal Associations - ComunicatoRegionale