Pre-opening and dove hunting: the considerations of the CCT

Allowing pre-opening and turtle doves hunting is a possible objective based on elements of common sense.

For several weeks and on several occasions we have had the opportunity to present our position on pre-opening and on taking of the wild turtledove, (Streptopelia tortur) in light of the problems that even in these days they are influencing the Venatorial Calendars of the Regions. Waiting to know the decisions of the Councilor Stefania Saccardi and of the Regional Council on the contents and methods of carrying out the pre-opening, also given the short time that separates us from the date of 1 September, we believe it is necessary to return to the subject. Particularly, as regards the collection of the wild turtledove, thanks also to the support of the FIDC National Birdlife Migratory Office, this morning a further reconstructive brief was sent to the attention of the Department of the main aspects of this delicate issue and of the determinations made at the time in the European context following the Plan of 'International Action approved by NADEG Committee of the European Commission in May 2018.

In our opinion, these decisions allow the Regions to enact measures for the controlled harvest of the species. In particular, we wish to reiterate that the European Commission, despite the intransigent positions of the MITE (Ministry for Ecological Transition), has not actually required the states within the central-eastern range to ban hunting this species, but rather deemed it necessary to achieve a reduction in bag sizes compared to the 2013-18 period through specific measures. For these reasons, we believe that, to date, the Regions with objective data on harvests can legitimately plan turtle dove hunting in full compliance with the Commission's provisions.

Tuscany, with this data at its disposal, could therefore permit turtle dove hunting on numbers that can be culled that largely meet European precautionary requirements. This would allow for paper reporting after the pre-opening day, using procedures similar to those already in place for the derogation of starling hunting. Allowing the pre-opening and turtle dove hunting is therefore a viable objective, based on common sense and proper conservation management of the species . We hope that, on this occasion too, the Tuscany Region will be able to best reconcile these needs by fully exercising its institutional prerogatives (Source: CCT ).