It took place in Florence an important meeting addressed to the Voluntary Hunting Security Guards, focused on updating the progress of the African Swine Fever (ASF) and on the operational implications also concerning the supervisory sector. The world of volunteering, which also includes hunters and more particularly vigilance, they certainly represent a collective value that unfortunately little is said about. The meeting was articulated with the participation in the presence, in compliance with the anti-covid 19 regulations, of a delegation of GGVV, to which many other operators connected by the various provincial offices of Tuscany were added via videoconference. The works were opened by Marco Salvadori, president of Federcaccia Toscana. In introducing him, Salvadori immediately entered into the merits of the problem linked to the progress of the PSA and the efforts made in recent months, to face and monitor the phenomenon.
In fact, PSA represents a concrete threat on which we cannot let our guard down due to the possible repercussions that would be created. both for the economy and for the hunting sector. The hunters and our Voluntary Hunting Guards certainly do not intend to remain "passive" in the face of a concrete and real danger that should not be underestimated. Supervision can certainly make a qualified contribution in this sense. A heritage of voluntary work which, however, must be valued by the institutions. For this Salvadori also wanted to represent the punctual work put in place by the association and by the regional structure, in order to obtain some necessary changes to the text of the Agreement and on the operating procedures for carrying out the services, recently approved by the Regional Council of Tuscany.
Dr. Alessio Capecci (collective prevention sector of the Tuscany Region) presented to the GGVV an update on the problem and on the necessary preventive actions, which will also have to be implemented through the coordination of ATCs and other competent authorities, following the DL 17/02/22 converted into law on 7 April last. The Tuscany Region was not caught unprepared in terms of prevention. Since 2019, numerous information activities and tenacious work have been carried out both in the Ministerial seat and in comparison with the other regions, to represent a firm will to favor a common front for the management of the problem.
To date, the epidemic shows a slow expansion from the outbreaks already found in the Liguria and Piedmont regions. The cases ascertained are 96. The regulatory provisions issued by the competent Ministries and the indications of the EU TEAM EUVET provide for the construction of a double physical barrier (fence) close to the A 26 and A7 motorways. This is to create a buffer zone by June 2022 aimed at interrupting the movement of wild boar populations and any contamination between individuals of the species. Unfortunately, despite the funds allocated, to date, on these fundamental prevention works, delays have been recorded by the competent bodies, thus increasing the risk of spreading ASF in the neighboring territories. In Tuscany, the various ordinances aimed at strengthening the surveillance of the Province of Massa and Carrara were activated, including the monitoring activities in which more than 500 volunteer hunters.
The prevention machine has started on the entire regional territory. The role of the hunting world and of surveillance and ATCs, already today assumes a fundamental value both for the quality of operators and for the quantity and capillarity represented in the regional territory. The new PRIU (Regional Plan for Urgent Interventions) envisages two macro objectives: Passive monitoring and the recovery and disposal of carcasses, involving the entire agro-forestry-pastoral territory. Finally Capecci went on to illustrate to the GGVV, the main health measures to be complied with for any sampling activity, the procedures to be applied on biosecurity and the organization of search for carcasses. Also the future hunting season thanks to the same teams of the driven wild boar hunt, will contribute to the achievement of the objectives.
To date, 164 wild boars have been sampled in our region but the goal is to reach much higher numbers. The help of hunters and GGVVs will therefore be invaluable in contributing to the construction of an early warning "network" to find as many carcasses as possible and prove that the area is free or in the worst case, to intercept any viral incursions as soon as possible. In thanking the organizers of the initiative, a sign of sensitivity and attention to problems, Capecci concluded with two effective reminders that we want to remember: The PSA is a danger for hunting in all its forms and non-cooperation helps the virus.