Regional Executive Board of Campania approved the hunting calendar for the period 2013-2014. The measure sets the opening of the season on the third Sunday of September. Till 31 October, it will be possible to hunt doves, until 30 November quails, till 15 January magpies and rollers, until 20 January teals, woodcocks (With a time limit for this animal from 7.30 to 16.00), gadwalls, fieldfares, coots, mallards, plovers and song thrushes.

Again from the third Sunday of September until 30 January 2014 it will be possible to hunt snipes but blinds are forbidden; pheasants (until 2 October and from 30 November only in accordance with Local Hunting Authority (ATC) drawing plans) widgeons, moorhens, shovelers, pochards, redwings and foxes (for this species hunting with hounds is allowed from 2 October to 30 January and it will be compulsory for Provinces to state in advance the areas where fox hunting is possible).

From 2 October to 30 November huntable species approved by the Local Hunting Authority (ATC) drawing plans are wild rabbits and partridges (although hunting is forbidden for the whole year in the areas of Colli Petrete, Croci and Spinosa in the Municipality of Rocca d’Evandro).

From 2 October to 30 December skylarks, wild boars, brown hares and blackbirds can be hunted. Again, from 2 October to 20 January 2014 pintails and water rails are huntable. On the other hand woodpigeons (limited from 1 January to 10 February with blinds only and at a daily rate of 5) and carrions (limited from 20 January to 20 February only to blind hunting). Blinds cannot be located at less than 500 metres from wet areas where water birds usually are or from rock or partially rock walls from 10 February.

Game activity is possible from an hour before the sunrise till the sunset. A time limit from 7.30 to 16.00 is set for woodcocks only.

Hunters cannot practice game activity for more than three days per week (including those practiced in wildlife game companies or game farming holiday businesses and in different regions). Hunting is forbidden on Tuesdays and Fridays. In SCIs (Sites of Community Importance) and in Candidate Sites of Community Importance and in Special areas of Protection (SAPs) hunting is not allowed on Monday, too.

Before the third Sunday of September some pre-opening days have been scheduled, such as 1, 4 and 8 September for hide turtle doves; 11 and 12 September for magpies; 1, 4, 8, 11 and 12 September for magpies and rollers. But hunting is not allowed in regional Special Areas of Conservation.

The Regional Executive Board, due to a decrease in wildlife and to an environmental choice and a well-established game policy, forbids for the whole season to hunt ruffs, rock partridges, deer, fallow deer, roe deer and tuft ducks. Moreover, hunting of unlisted species is forbidden, although game activity is established by regional law no. 26/2012 and law no.157/92.

Dealing with regional SCIs, Candidate Sites of Community Importance and SAPs, hunting activity is allowed with due regard to the provisions of the VIA-VAS Committee on the assessment of effect of previous hunting calendars and on the Strategic Environmental Assessment.

In the measure, approved by the Regional Executive Board, the game limit per hunt has also been set. For non-migratory wildlife total rate of two animals per day, with the limit of one for wild boars, hares, partridges and rabbits (for the latter animals two only if in compliance with the territorial drawing plans published by ATC) have been set. Seasonal drawing should not exceed the following rates: 35 concerning wild boars, 5 for partridges and rabbits, 10 for hares.

Dealing with migratory wildlife, the bag limit is set to a rate of 20 animals per day (15 in the SCIs, in Candidate Sites of Community Importance and in SAPs) with the following different provisions: a rate of 15 for hooded crows, magpies, rollers, blackbirds, fieldfares, song thrushes, redwings; a rate of 10 for ducks, geese and swans, rails, shorebirds, skylarks and woodpigeons; a rate of 5 for plovers, quails and turtle doves and from February, for woodpigeons, too; a rate of 3 for woodcocks, pintails and water rails. In the Natura 2000 areas, including the areas around the Vesuvio Park game limit is set at a rate of two woodcocks, three quails and three turtle doves. Regarding migratory wildlife, for the whole game season a rate of 25 plovers, quails and turtle doves, 15 pintails and water rails, 20 woodcocks, 50 skylarks is set.

In case of hares, hunters should report to Ispra (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) date and place of the shooting and send, if possible, a digital picture to the following email address infs.lepus@iperbole.bologna.it.

Provincial Administrations can regulate wild boar hunting allowing it to be carried out only on Thursdays and Sundays, through game parties authorized per each place and made known in advance. Wildlife game businesses, by the beginning of the season can suggest to the relevant provincial administrations amendments for the whole period of the set weekly days. Decisions taken by the Province must be reported to the Forestry, Hunting and Fisheries Sector of Regione Campania, to the local State Forest Police and the Provincial Offices responsible for hunting surveillance. These provisions apply also to fox hunting.

The full hunting calendar will be published on the website www.campaniacaccia.it and on the institutional Portal of Regione Campania.

The hunting calendar is the result of a cooperation among all regional hunting associations that offered important contributions during the meetings held at the regional Administration premises – Regional Minister for Agriculture Daniela Nugnes stated.

She also explained: “During its drafting, measures to allow hunting activity in a more certain context have been set. This is why the Regional Administration has always been involving Ispra in the assessment of several proposals until the final paper outcomes, bearing always in mind, from time to time several requests of the hunting associations. Such requests have been included in the approved paper since they were adequately reasoned and supported, as provided for by the Lazio TAR (Regional Administrative Court) Judgment no.2443/2011”

The action of the Regional Administration for Agriculture in the hunting calendar drafting has as strong bias towards the environmental protection and, at the same time, the promotion of a noble activity that if performed in compliance with the law is not jeopardizing our region’s natural balance – Ms Nugnes concluded.