Hunting in Sicily: the Sicilian Hunting Associations reply to the environmentalist statements on the hunting situation on the island, “The Pyrrhic victory of the environmentalists”.
In the newspaper La Sicilia last Wednesday a full-bodied and detailed article explained the successes of Legambiente and others due to the fact that the TAR Palermo had suspended the 2012/13 hunting calendar. On this point we need to clarify.
The environmental challenge was essentially divided into three points: the alleged illegitimacy of hunting in the absence of the wildlife hunting plan; in the alternative, the illegality of the pre-opening of the hunt in the absence of this plan; the illegality of hunting in the Natura 2000 sites. Well, the result of their use has essentially produced nothing.
In fact, the hunting season has not been interrupted by a single day and will continue quietly; Sicilian hunters enjoyed the pre-opening without the limits imposed in other Italian regions; on various sites of the Natura 2000 network, the competent Department is preparing the decrees that will allow hunting activities there too. So?
We ask the same question to certain “weighty” and right-thinking representatives of the Sicilian Federation of Hunting …… ..: so what?
The truth is that in the face of the suspension of the 2012/13 hunting calendar, the biggest defeat of Legambiente & co. Is hidden, namely the fact that it can no longer blackmail either the Department of Agricultural and Food Resources, or the hunters. It finally emerged that the lack of the planning tool does not imply a ban on hunting, and therefore the Administration, and with it the hunters, are free to demand a dignified plan in keeping with their expectations, no longer subject to threats of appeals and consequential total closure of the hunting activity. But there is more. It will no longer be the hunters to push the bureaucracy to adopt any plan, it will now be the environmentalists who must act. The parties have reversed.
And if those who pass themselves off as environmentalists had in mind to have the PFV proposal that we all know adopted, know that this will never pass through the third Commission of the Sicilian Assembly, nor will it ever have the approval of the Government Council.
We take this opportunity to warmly thank Councilor Aiello, the Hon. Cristaudo and Dr. Zappia of the Cabinet for their keen determination in sharing the hunters' reasons and for having blocked the bad 2012/13 hunting calendar of the outgoing D'Antrassi which, among other things, provided for the start date of the hunting season on September 16th.
2 October 2012
Giovanni Rizzo Artemide
Vincenzo Salamone ANCA
Antonia Plate EPS
Alfio Nicolosi ENAL HUNTING Catania
Paolo Augliera Federcaccia Messina
Stefano Privitera Sicilian Free Hunters