Hunting: Sardinia, CPA asks the Region to modify the 2013-2014 Hunting Calendar in the part concerning lead ammunition and to restore the day of November 1st.
Caccia Pesca Ambiente Sardegna sent to the councilor for hunting a letter asking the Region to make some changes to the 2013-2014 Hunting Calendar and in particular in the parts concerning the use of lead ammunition and the restoration of the hunting day of the November 1st. Below we publish the text of the letter from CPA Sardinia:
"Dear Councilor,
I presume that you are already aware of the discontent expressed by many hunters regarding the first draft of the 2013/2014 hunting calendar, further exacerbated by the umpteenth mockery that occurred with the cancellation sanctioned by the Ordinance of the TAR n ° 303 of 17/09 / 13 and the subsequent calendar published in Buras n ° 43 of 20 September 2013.
I regret to remind you that in an informal meeting between some AA.VV., and the representatives of the gunsmiths, which took place in Cagliari on May 8, 2013, in which the undersigned also participated, you said that this year, having one more year of experience he would have drawn up a hunting calendar more suited to the needs of Sardinian hunters.
In the aforementioned meeting, he also asked us to prepare a proposal for a hunting calendar, promising that you would make it your own, to then present it to the members of the CRF. Despite your promise, we know how it ended: the proposal was not even considered!
Hereby, if you have the right, we ask you at least to intervene to modify the 11 paragraph of Art. 12 of the 2013/2014 hunting calendar which reads:
"It is always forbidden: [...] the use of lead shot ammunition inside the Special Protection Areas (SPA) and wetlands (lakes, ponds, swamps and lagoons of fresh, salt, brackish water) . It is also forbidden to shoot, with the use of such ammunition, in the direction of the same areas at a distance of less than one hundred and fifty meters ".
We also point out, as already highlighted last year, with our note n ° 45/12 of 20/08/2012, that this term does not agree with what is established by Ministerial Decree n ° 184 of 17/10/2007, which provides for the ban on the use of lead shots only in wetlands located within the SPAs. Last year, we considered the ban on the use of lead shot extended to the entire SPA area to be a transcription error, instead in the meeting held in Cagliari between the Legal Office of our Association and some officials of your Department we ascertained instead that it was a precise choice of "His" officials.
It is hoped that in the next meeting of the CRF, scheduled for next 22 October, you will be able to exercise your authority, to make the officials understand that in no region of Italy there is a total ban on lead shot inside the SPAs. On this point, we bring to your attention and your officials the results of a conference, held last July 3 in Bologna, on the theme "Lead in ammunition: new scientific evidence for sustainable solutions" promoted and organized by the CNCN (National Hunting Committee and Natura), in collaboration with Federcaccia and Arcicaccia and with the patronage of the Emilia Romagna Region. The works began with the presentation, by dr. Mario Ge, AFEMS Secretary General, of the study by two Swedish researchers, Ulf Qvarfort (Swedish Defense Research Agency) and Christer Holmgren (Swedish Environmental Agency), entitled “Lead in game - Study on the bioaccessibility of metallic lead fragments”.
This was followed by the intervention of Prof Angelo Moretto (University of Milan) and Piermannuccio Mannucci (Scientific Director, IRCCS Ca 'Granda Foundation, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano), who presented their study entitled "Lead in game meat and implications for human health ”. However, these authoritative scholars have come to the conclusion, in full harmony with EFSA, that game meat hunted with lead ammunition is not dangerous to human health. With particular reference to the Italian situation, Profs Moretto and Mannucci concluded that there is no risk of a significant increase in the body burden of lead for the Italian consumer of game hunted with lead ammunition. On the basis of EFSA data, the scholars continue, it is possible to argue that the contribution of lead contained in game meat is negligible, and even the worst case calculated with the data of the Italian diet provides for a contribution no higher than that deriving from other foods of common use.
In conclusion, these studies show on the basis of indisputable medical-scientific data, contrary to the position taken by ISPRA and adopted by the officials belonging to your Department, how the consumption of game hunted with lead ammunition is absolutely irrelevant for human health.
It is also requested that the hunting day of November 1st be reinstated, which is absolutely legitimate as art. 18 paragraph 5 of L.157, provides for hunting silence on Tuesdays and Fridays in those Regions where it is possible to hunt for three days, choosing on the five days of the week, with the exception of Tuesday and Friday. If he fails to modify even this prohibition, it would reveal once again the fury towards our category and your inability to intervene. Certain of a benevolent acceptance of the present, and awaiting reply pursuant to Law 241/90, we take this opportunity to extend cordial greetings.
The Regional President
Marco Efisio Pisanu
"
(8 October 2013)
CPA Sardinia