Fabio Rolfi, new Councilor for Agriculture of the Lombardy region, has formalized the request for activation of the derogation as regards the so-called "Birds Directive". Precisely during this week, the procedure will start, which involves theISPRA (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) on the hunting collection of starlings, finches and brambles. The same goes for thrushes, caesene and blackbirds.
Rolfi's initiative was shared 100% with Lombard hunting associations, in order to renew an important theme. Over the years, resistance from ISPRA has been very strong and the granting of the exceptions was disregarded, despite the fact that there is a precise provision in the European Union legislation. The commissioner also explained that he wanted to defend a sector like that of hunting which in Lombardy has an undoubted inducement from the point of view occupational, without forgetting the deeply rooted and living tradition.
The derogation for the reversal is not accidental: the losses caused by this bird at regional agricultural production they have been huge, with damage very close to one million euros if we look at the last ten years. Last year the provinces of Brescia, Sondrio and Pavia totaled another 60 thousand euros: in particular, the species seem to be more angry with some crops, primarily wine and fruit crops.