The bill proposed by Senators Ignazio La Russa (Brothers of Italy), Massimiliano Romeo (Lega), Maurizio Gasparri (Forza Italia), and Andrea Malan (Brothers of Italy) introduces numerous significant changes to Law No. 157 of 11 February 1992, which currently regulates the protection of warm-blooded wildlife and hunting. The overall objective of these amendments is to update the current legislation, making it more responsive to current wildlife and hunting management needs, taking into account regulatory changes and industry demands. The bill, which consists of 18 articles, is considered the majority's unified position and inevitably faces strong resistance from environmental associations and a segment of the scientific community. Opposition parties and those closest to environmentalist interests, such as the Democratic Party and the Green and Left Alliance , are defending the current law, citing the risk of an "indiscriminate liberalization" of hunting. They fear that the reform will overturn the constitutional and European principle of the primacy of nature protection, transforming protected areas from assets to be defended into "problems" to be contained. Concerns remain about the extension of hunting seasons and huntable areas, with potential negative impacts on wildlife, particularly during nesting periods or when species are most vulnerable. The potential marginalization of the binding opinion of the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) in the decision-making process is seen as excluding science in favor of vested interests, compromising the adoption of effective wildlife conservation measures. Critics argue that the changes could threaten biodiversity, violate European directives on the conservation of wild birds, and violate Italy's international commitments to environmental protection. Concerns have been raised about potential sanctions for those who oppose wildlife control activities, which are perceived as limiting the right to dissent and protest.
Hunting associations generally welcome proposals they deem most in line with hunters' needs and "modern" wildlife management. Federcaccia president Massimo Buconi emphasizes the need to overcome regulatory rigidities perceived as obsolete, but highlights the anti-hunting misinformation campaign. "Once again, a tool provided for and regulated by national and international regulations, and specifically supported by a positive decision from ISPRA regarding quantities, is presented as a gift to hunters and a serious violation of all laws." Hunting must be transformed into a resource for the territory. Emphasis is placed on the sustainability of hunting practices and their importance for preserving ecological balances and preventing damage from wildlife.
The uncontrolled increase of some species, especially wild boars, is causing significant economic damage to crops and farms, as also highlighted by compensation requests (for example, over 4,7 million euros in Piedmont in the two-year period 2024-2025). The proliferation of wild animals contributes to the increase in road accidents. Then, the management of fauna is seen as crucial for the containment of diseases such as African Swine Fever (ASF), for which wild boars are considered the main vectors.
The proposal aims to transform hunting into a tool that contributes to the protection of biodiversity and the ecosystem. Among the proposed changes are interventions on the organization of the Territorial Hunting Areas (ATC), the possibility of retaining the carcasses of slaughtered animals to compensate for the damage suffered by farmers, and the introduction of economic incentives for the reconstitution of fauna and the maintenance of acclimatization structures.
Below is a detailed analysis of the main changes compared to the current legislation.
- Renaming and purpose of the Act
The first and most fundamental change concerns the title of the law itself , which would change from "Rules for the Protection of Warm-Haired Wildlife and for Hunting" to "Rules for the Management and Protection of Warm-Haired Wildlife, as well as for Hunting." This change is intended to clarify that the law is not limited to protection alone, but also regulates a series of activities and strategies for the conservation, monitoring, and use of wildlife, seeking a balance between nature and human activities.
- Recognition of hunting activity
Article 2 of the bill amends Article 1 of the current law, recognizing hunting as an expression of a national tradition , in line with the 2003 Paris Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Furthermore, it specifies that hunting, when practiced in a manner compatible with wildlife conservation, contributes to environmental protection and ecosystem balance . This holistic vision views hunting not as mere culling, but as a sporting, physical, and cultural activity, with significant economic and social benefits, and as a tool for the containment of invasive species, wildlife monitoring, and habitat protection. The current law, while permitting hunting, subordinates it to the need to conserve wildlife and safeguard agricultural production.
- Wildlife control at airports
Article 3 introduces significant amendments to Article 2 of Law 157/1992. Currently, bird control activities at airports are limited to bird populations and are entrusted to the Minister of Transport. The proposal extends these activities to the control of wild and feral domestic species . Responsibility is also attributed directly to airport infrastructure managers , recognizing their role in ensuring safety, consistent with the current relationship with the Ministry of Transport and ENAC.
- Temporary capture and ringing (“live decoys”)
The amendments to Article 4 of Law 157/1992, proposed by Article 4 of the bill, reshape the jurisdiction. The current law required that bird-trapping facilities for ringing and for the sale of decoys be authorized by the provinces and managed by qualified personnel from the National Institute for Bird Protection (INFS, now ISPRA). The amendments transfer the responsibility for defining the structural and health and hygiene characteristics of public bird-trapping facilities to the regions , in compliance with the Delrio Law (Law 56/2014), which reduced the provinces' functions. ISPRA's responsibility for monitoring and certifying activities remains unchanged. Regional jurisdiction for regulating the identification of "live decoys" using a permanently attached, numbered ring is also reaffirmed, and, to combat poaching, the sale of these decoys is prohibited . The range of institutional bodies to which information on the killing, capture, or discovery of ringed birds can be transmitted is also expanded, including regional institutes that will then communicate the information to ISPRA.
- Use of “live decoys” and fixed posts
Article 5 amends Article 5 of the current law. While the current legislation allows the use of a maximum of forty decoys per hunter (ten per species) and a maximum of ten for hunting from temporary hides, the new proposal eliminates the numerical limits for captive-bred decoys , provided they are ringed. The maximum number of permits that can be issued for fixed hides is also eliminated , a decision motivated by the progressive reduction in the number of hunters and the need to prevent the commercialization of concessions. The current law required the provinces to issue permits no greater than those for the 1989-1990 hunting season. Finally, the ban on the use of unidentifiable decoys and the requirement to submit the dead decoy for replacement are confirmed, for the purposes of combating poaching.
- Wildlife and hunting plans
Article 6 of the bill introduces important changes to wildlife and hunting planning (Article 10 of Law 157/1992). Responsibilities previously allocated to the provinces are reallocated to the regional level , in line with the Delrio Law. The new legislation promotes integrated landscape management and a balanced distribution of hunting pressure, abandoning a purely conservative vision in favor of a dynamic and multifunctional perspective.
Furthermore, it is clarified that national and regional parks, protected oases, and repopulation and capture zones are included in the percentage of agro-forestry-pastoral land that regions must allocate to wildlife protection (20 to 30%). To ensure compliance with these percentages, regions must submit a detailed report on protected areas to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry and the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security within twelve months, providing for the State's power to substitute in the event of non-compliance. The mapping and redefinition process will be conducted in compliance with supranational obligations.
Another new development concerns the areas and territories of the state forestry domain , which will be subject to wildlife and hunting planning activities, while on the state maritime domain hunting activity will be completely prohibited.
Finally, the membership threshold required to oppose the establishment of protected areas (oases, repopulation zones, public breeding centers) has been modified: the will to oppose must be expressed by owners or managers representing the majority of the affected territory , no longer 40% of the total surface area as under the current law.
- Elimination of the hunting option
Article 7 amends Article 12 of Law 157/1992, removing the requirement to choose between different hunting methods (the so-called "hunting option"). This change is justified by the progressive decline in the number of hunters in Italy. The current law required the exclusive choice of one of three methods ("wandering in the Alpine area," "from a fixed hide," or "other methods").
- Optical and optoelectronic instruments for hunting ungulates
Article 8 permits the use of optical and optoelectronic instruments for selective hunting of ungulates , with the exception of those considered military equipment. This change is motivated by safety concerns, aiming to reduce the risk of accidents by allowing the use of more effective targeting devices that minimize human error. The use of such technologically advanced equipment, especially in wild boar hunting, also promotes better implementation of regional control plans. The current law did not explicitly provide for the use of such instruments.
- Sizing and management of hunting territorial areas (Atc)
Article 9 intervenes on Article 14 of Law 157/1992. Current legislation provides that ATCs have a sub-provincial dimension. The amendment allows regions to divide the territory intended for programmed hunting into ATCs. having even provincial dimensions. The aim is to overcome the counterproductive proliferation of associations, with the related costs and bureaucratic burdens, and to reduce hunting pressure on the territory. It is also established that the the number of members of the ATC management bodies cannot exceed twenty units, integrated by a representative of the Italian Kennel Club, to streamline decision-making. The current law provided for an equal composition between representatives of farmers, hunting associations, environmentalists and local authorities. The functions of the ATC management bodies are also defined in greater detail, with particular attention to the promotion and enhancement of wildlife and environmental management, and to the synergy between agricultural and hunting activities. 
- Wildlife-hunting and agri-tourism-hunting companies
Article 10 of the bill modifies Article 16 of Law 157/1992, introducing provisions for a more adequate regulation of wildlife-hunting and agritourism-hunting companies, in terms of company management and tax treatment50.
The most significant change is that regions will be able to authorize the establishment of wildlife and hunting companies, established as businesses rather than as non-profit organizations , as provided for under current law . This will allow profits to be invested in socially beneficial activities consistent with nature and wildlife conservation goals, expanding economic opportunities even in inland and peripheral areas.
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For agritourism and hunting businesses, the period during which the introduction and killing of farmed wild fauna are permitted may be extended beyond the established terms , subject to the acquisition of a favourable environmental impact assessment.
Regions will be able to authorize the conversion of wildlife and hunting farms into agritourism and hunting farms . Furthermore, administrative concessions for the establishment of wildlife and hunting farms will have a ten-year term and will be renewable , allowing for multi-year planning that takes into account biological cycles and investment payback periods.
- Huntable species and hunting periods
Article 11 amends Article 18 of Law 157/1992. When establishing hunting calendars, regions may deviate from the recommendations provided by ISPRA and the National Technical Wildlife and Hunting Committee (CTFVN), provided they provide a justification supported by arguments drawn from scientific information sources indicated by the European Commission . Currently, changes to the deadlines are authorized by the regions following the opinion of ISPRA, which they must comply with.
Taking climate change into account, regions may postpone the hunting season beyond the first ten days of February, limited to certain wildlife species , subject to obtaining the mandatory approval of ISPRA and CTFVN, involving the regional institutes. Current law set the deadlines between September 1st and January 31st.
- Wildlife control
Article 12 amends Article 19 of Law 157/1992, strengthening the system and resources for containing excess wild fauna. The operational procedures for wildlife control activities may be defined by an interministerial decree (MASAF, Health, Interior, MASE). Metropolitan cities are included among the territorial bodies that contribute to the implementation of control plans. The list of entities that the authorities may use is expanded to include private guards recognized pursuant to the Consolidated Law on Public Safety (provided they have a hunting license and have completed specific training courses) and agricultural entrepreneurs, owners, and managers of land . The option of retaining shot specimens is provided, in compensation for damages suffered and costs incurred, provided they do not present a health risk following hygiene analyses. A new paragraph is introduced to ensure that control activities are carried out in compliance with the constraints set by European Union legislation . These changes aim to counteract the proliferation of invasive species and damage to production activities and safety, by providing broader support from specialized personnel.
- Extraordinary plan for the management and containment of wildlife
Article 13 amends Article 19-ter (introduced by the 2023 Budget Law to combat African Swine Fever – ASF). Consistent with the previous article, it provides that the regions may implement the plan by also making use of hunters licensed to hunt by concessionaires of private wildlife institutes located in the affected areas, in addition to recognized private guards, with the support of the Carabinieri.
- Hunting activity on snowy terrain and mountain passes
Article 14 amends Article 21 of Law 157/1992. As an exception to the general ban on hunting on land covered entirely or partially by snow (except in the Alpine area according to regional provisions in the current law), hunting on such land is permitted for selective hunting of ungulates and for wild boar drives . This is seen as a useful tool for maintaining the balance of wildlife, agriculture, and forestry, with the snow cover requiring greater attention.
A sanction is introduced for violent actions aimed at hindering the implementation of control plans.
The current law prohibited hunting on all mountain passes affected by the migration routes of birds for a distance of one thousand meters. The amendment provides for a better identification of mountain passes through an inter-ministerial decree on a cartographic basis, establishing that a special protection zone (where not already foreseen) should be established at these border crossings and that hunting can be practiced under the conditions established by the management body of the protection zoneThis amendment is aimed at ensuring compliance with supranational constraints and at countering broad interpretations of the concept of crossing point which have led to unjustified hunting bans and massive litigation. 
- Hunting license and rifle carrying license
The provisions regarding gun licenses do not apply to hunting with a bow or hawk . This overcomes a discrepancy in current legislation that required bow and arrow hunters to demonstrate technical proficiency in handling firearms.
Hunting permits issued by European Union member states or countries belonging to the European Economic Area are considered equivalent to permits issued in Italy . This is consistent with the EU principles of free circulation of permits.
- Hunting surveillance
Article 16 amends Article 27 of Law 157/1992. Surveillance activities may also be entrusted to regional officers , to counteract the reduction in provincial police forces resulting from the Delrio Law. Furthermore, volunteer guards from recognized national associations may participate in surveillance activities , excluding those belonging to local hunting associations. The current law included recognized hunting associations in general.
- Administrative sanctions
Article 17 of the bill amends Article 31 of Law 157/1992. The provision that previously imposed a fine on hunters who practiced hunting in a manner other than their chosen form has been removed . This is a necessary consequence of the elimination of the so-called "hunting option."
A fine (ranging from €150 to €900) is introduced for those who impede, hinder, or slow down wildlife control and containment activities . This change aims to ensure the completion of activities that safeguard public safety and combat the spread of diseases such as African swine fever.
- Financial invariance clause
Article 18 establishes a financial invariance clause , providing that the implementation of the law will not result in new or increased burdens on public finances and that public administrations will carry out their obligations within the limits of the human, instrumental and financial resources available under current legislation.
The Senate's proposed amendments to Law 157/1992 represent a significant attempt to modernize and adapt hunting and wildlife management regulations to current challenges , such as climate change, declining hunter numbers, and the need for more effective wildlife management, particularly invasive species. This shift from a purely protective approach to one of active and multifunctional management , with greater regional involvement and openness to new technologies and organizational forms, while still complying with European and international constraints. The amendments appear aimed at making hunting safer, more efficient, and integrated into overall land management.
The bill, signed by the group leaders of the majority in the Senate, has begun its parliamentary process. The debate promises to be long and complex, with thousands of amendments expected and strong pressure from the various factions. The desire to find a balance between the needs of wildlife management, the protection of agriculture and the conservation of biodiversity will be the main challenge for the legislator.
