La Regional Council of the Marche, in today's session, on the proposal of the vice president Mirco Carloni, regional councilor for hunting and sport fishing, approved the annual management plan of the rock partridge for the hunting season 2020/21. The Coturnice is present, in the Marche region, in the area of Sibillini Mountains Park and neighboring territories (MC), with a population nucleus in the area of Monte Catria (PU). The provision affects ATC MC2 (Territorial area of hunting Val di Chienti), as in the Pesaro area (ATC PS2) the hunting of the species is already forbidden by the hunting calendar. The MC2 ATC Plan has been submitted for approval by Ispra (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research).
The presence of the rock partridge is currently estimated at 315 heads in the post-reproductive period. The Plan envisages, from 31 October to 29 November 2020, a scheduled withdrawal of 5 percent of the population, equal to 14 animals (divided into the three districts investigated: 9 - 3 - 2). The authorized hunters are 59, selected among those who have collaborated in the censuses, having participated in a course with examination and qualified dog with test Enci (Italian national dog-loving body). The legislation prescribes the rock partridge as a species that can be hunted with particular precautions, as part of a management plan. Ispra has expressed a favorable opinion with some prescriptions.
To guarantee not to exceed the maximum collection of 14 animals and, at the same time, to authorize all 59 hunters (many of whom are dog lovers only), the following methods and prescriptions have been alternatively provided: the authorized hunters must communicate the hunting trip to an ATC toll-free number daily; any killing must be reported immediately to the ATC; the ATC must be equipped with a computerized system that reports the killing in real time to its technicians: upon reaching the withdrawal plan, the technicians must communicate the suspension of the withdrawal to each authorized hunter, to security officers and to the Marche Region.