Meeting with the executive
Proper protection of the environment and dutiful compliance with Community regulations cannot and must not become in Italy the pretext for making the practice of hunting more difficult or without legal certainties. This, in substance, the principle expressed with a collaborative spirit but with equal firmness by the representatives of the hunting associations gathered in the Control Room (Federcaccia, Enalcaccia, ANLC, ANUUM Migratoristi, Arcicaccia, Italcaccia and the CNCN National Hunting and Nature Committee) in the meeting of yesterday afternoon, 4 September, in the headquarters and with the presence of Government Authorities of the Ministry of the Environment in Rome, which also saw the active participation of representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Lack of clarity
The consequences of the entry into force of the Regulation prohibiting the use of lead ammunition in wetlands for hunters they are in fact made even more problematic by a lack of clarity of application that the present associations have been asking for a resolution for some time, in particular the provision of penalties of a criminal nature based on a real presumption of guilt in the case of simple possession of a cartridge containing lead in the vicinity of a wetland, moreover in contempt of the fundamental principles of law. Precisely the certainty of the law for hunters regarding the transport of ammunition in the vicinity of, sometimes not even easily identifiable, wetlands was the starting point of an articulated and complete illustration of the positions of the hunting world regarding the application of provided for by EU Regulation 2021/57 of 25 January 2021.
Supervisory authority
The Government was expressed its appreciation for last February's circular but was asked to specify clearly and punctually in a new implementing provision having the force of law, issued by the opening of the hunting season, which behaviors the hunters and what very clear indications must be given to the supervisory authorities so as to avoid interpretations of the legislation that go beyond the contents and the spirit of environmental protection, transforming it into a vexatious measure against hunting and hunters: this in particular as regards the delicate requirements relating only to the transport of lead ammunition near wetlands, in order to avoid unnecessary disputes and guarantee legal certainty.
Mapping of wetlands
The representatives of the AAVV have recommended the maximum dissemination and publicity of the new provision, which has been requested, and which we hope will be issued before the start of the season, hoping that it will be sent to the provincial police and to all the authorities in charge of control. It was also requested that, as done in other EU states, the Government prepare a mapping and cartography of wetlands in Italy, for the benefit of hunters and the authorities in charge of control. During the meeting, the issues of African swine fever were also explored, with a focus on the recent ordinance of the Extraordinary Commissioner on ASF published in the Official Gazette no. 203 of 31 August 2023 and the question of migrations, times, species and key concepts was once again raised, exposing and asking to remedy the inconsistencies of hunting periods with other nations close to us (France, Spain, Greece, Croatia) , in full harmony with the provisions of the Commission and European regulations (source: FIDC).