New regulation approved by the council, now a passage in the commission and then the vote of the legislative assembly to arrive at the president’s decree by the end of May
Photo by Willy Maurizio Cazzanti
The regional council ofEmilia Romagna approved a new regulation for hunting ungulates (basically wild boars, roe deer, fallow deer, deer). The main points concern simplification of collective hunting, more effective management of ungulates in the regional territory, possibility of more incisive interventions in emergency situations such as in the case of combating the spread of swine fever. The next steps include a passage first to the Commission and then to the Chamber for the conformity opinion of the Legislative Assembly. Subsequently it will be approved by decree of the President of the Region by the end of May.
The new regulation replaces the 2008 one and is the result of a long discussion carried out by the Region with local authorities, hunting associations, the world of agriculture, up to environmental and local associations.
He obtained positive opinion from the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Ispra) and from the Council of Local Authoritiesthe coordination body between the Region and local authorities.
The updatesin addition to incorporating the main indications provided in the Regional Wildlife Hunting Plan, also tend to make the management of ungulates more effective, in a context of strong need to identify measures for the containment of wild fauna with consequences linked to the environmental and economic impact.
The main innovations consist in a more rational management of wild boars with the simplification of collective hunting methods, interventions in particularly critical situations, for example by decreasing the number of members of the hunting teams (from 40 to 30 and increasing the guests from 5 to 8). Furthermore, in extraordinary cases, reduced collective actions will be introduced which provide for the authorization of the Region for hunts or hunts with a smaller number of participants and dogs, in the case of particular needs of the territory.
The regulation also provides for adaptation to national regulations regarding usable weapons and updates the methods of intervention in wildlife control.
As regards cervids, mainly roe deer and fallow deer, the objectives of the hunting fauna plan will be guaranteed in terms of compatibility with the environment, protection of biodiversity and the sustainability of agriculture, and adaptation to the current management context of the two species. Deer management will also be guaranteed that is more in line with the presence of the species at a regional level and in compliance with the forecasts recently modified by the Tuscany Region, with which the management of the animal populations found between the two regions is shared.
The proposed changes will therefore allow the Region to rationalize the management of ungulates on a regional scale in compliance with the main principles of conservation and compatibility with agricultural, environmental and economic activities.
