The first celebratory gunshots into the air have already been fired: with 80 votes in favour, only 56 against and two abstentions, the Senate has given its first approval to the reform of Law 157/1992 on the protection of wild fauna and hunting. The measure, known simply as the hunting bill, now moves to the Chamber of Deputies: only with approval from Montecitorio will the reform become law, but it is merely a question of "when", not "if", as the final green light appears to be little more than a formality.

Senato Repubblica @SenatoStampa

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#Caccia. Con 80 voti favorevoli, 56 contrari e due astensioni, approvate in Aula le modifiche alla legge 11 febbraio 1992, n. 157, recante norme per la protezione della #FaunaSelvatica omeoterma e per il prelievo venatorio senato.it/leggi-e-docume… Il ddl passa alla Camera

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The hunting bill rewrites legislation dating back nearly 35 years — legislation that, according to the parliamentary majority, needed updating in light of the decline in the number of hunters in Italy (now below 500,000, down from around 1.5 million in 1992) and the need to control species such as wild boar, also due to the risk of African swine fever spreading. But behind these technical justifications, opposition parties and environmental and animal rights associations see a clear intention to loosen the rules on hunting in Italy, favouring the hunters' lobby — to the point of renaming the law the "shoot-everything bill" and denouncing it as a step backwards for biodiversity protection.

What changes with the hunting bill

The cornerstone of the reform is the shift from mere "protection" to "management" of wild fauna: a conceptual novelty, though only up to a point in practical terms, since hunting is defined as an activity that contributes to environmental protection and ecosystem balance, with hunters described as "bio-regulators".

Among the main changes introduced by the hunting bill are expanded hunting areas: hunting activity is opened up to state-owned land, public forests, as well as parks and protected areas, although the final say remains with the Regions. On the subject of final say, the scientific guidance issued by the Istituto superiore per la protezione e la ricerca ambientale on certain aspects of hunting calendars will no longer be binding: Regions will be able to depart from it by justifying their choice with other scientific sources, including those indicated by the European Commission. Hunting calendars may also be broadened, with the hunting season potentially extending beyond the traditional early-February cut-off for certain species, including during migration and nesting periods, and beyond sunset.

Italia Nostra @Italia_Nostra

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#NoDdlCaccia Italia Nostra esprime forte preoccupazione: un provvedimento che rischia di segnare un grave arretramento nella tutela della fauna selvatica, degli ecosistemi e della biodiversità, in aperto contrasto con l'articolo 9 della Costituzione.
italianostra.org/news-nazionali…

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The text removes the reference to the wolf from the list of specially protected species, opening the door to its potential inclusion among huntable animals. More permissive rules are also introduced regarding the number and management of live decoys — birds used to lure others in hide hunting.

For selective hunting of ungulates (such as wild boar, but also deer and fallow deer), the use of optical and optoelectronic devices is authorised, with the exception of equipment classified as military hardware. The bill also opens the door to hunting and wildlife estates: these will be permitted to operate as commercial enterprises, rather than solely as non-profit entities; furthermore, the provision allowing landowners to ban hunting on their own land for ethical reasons is removed. Finally, the obligation for hunters to choose a single mode of hunting activity is dropped (roaming in the Alpine zone, fixed hide hunting, or other permitted forms). The quota of agro-silvo-pastoral land — between 20 and 30 per cent — that Regions must designate for the protection of wild fauna remains confirmed, encompassing national and regional parks, wildlife sanctuaries and restocking zones.

Criticism from associations

wwfitalia @WWFitalia

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🔴Il voto di oggi al #Senato è una violenza inaccettabile nei confronti della #natura e contrario alla volontà della maggior parte degli italiani, alle evidenze della scienza e alla sicurezza delle persone

#DDLCaccia #DDL1552 #caccia

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Environmental and animal rights associations — Enpa, Lac, Lav, Legambiente, Lipu BirdLife Italia and WWF Italia — organised a sit-in at the Pantheon, just a stone's throw from the Senate, to coincide with the vote, describing the measure as "an unacceptable act of violence against nature and wild animals" and contrary to the will of the majority of Italians, to scientific evidence and to public safety. The organisations argue that the cost of the reform will be borne by wild animals and citizens, who will be deprived of the ability to experience nature freely, and have announced that their mobilisation will now shift to the Chamber. On the opposing side, hunting associations and Federcaccia have hailed it as a first significant result after a lengthy process of regulatory updating, stressing that urban centres remain excluded from hunting and that the role of Ispra has not been abolished.

Among the parliamentary opposition, concerns have also been raised about a possible unconstitutionality issue, linked to the reform of Article 9 of the Constitution, which introduced the protection of the environment and biodiversity among the fundamental principles. The measure is further weighed down by a letter from the European Commission flagging possible conflicts with the Habitats and Birds Directives, which underpin an infringement procedure already initiated against Italy on related matters. And while the bill awaits its passage to the Chamber of Deputies, the mobilisation will continue in the coming weeks both in public squares and online: a petition launched by WWF is currently active in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the hunting law from being passed: "A dangerous law that puts already vulnerable animals at risk and turns nature into a shooting range – reads the dedicated page – We must stop it! Sign to defend biodiversity, animals' right to live free, and our safety." By 11 o'clock on the morning of 25 June, the petition had been signed by 266,323 people.