The only deputy of VOX in the Regional Assembly, Pascual Salvador, has presented this morning a motion in favor of hunting activity.
Hunting generates a profit of 6,475 million euros in Spain with a tax return of 614 million. In the Region of Murcia, at present, 1,128 hunting areas are mapped, occupying an area of 712,706 hectares (which in absolute terms represents 63% of the regional area).
"In our province there are more than 20,000 licensed hunters who generate about 3,515 jobs," says Salvador, who adds: "Beyond the economic impact, which also contributes to population roots in rural areas threatened by depopulation, hunting activity contributes to population control of species ”.
As it is an activity that takes place in rural areas and in large environments, the possibility of crowds is minimized, thus avoiding the risk of contagion from COVID-19. For all this, more than sixty representative entities of the rural world, including the Hunting Federation of the Region of Murcia, have signed a letter sent to the President of the Government in which they demand the official declaration of hunting activity as an essential activity.
"Given this situation, we must take into account the serious consequences that a significant decrease in hunting activity would have in the coming months associated with restrictions due to the pandemic, as they would cause an overpopulation of some wild species with environmental, economic, public health and of harmful animal health for the Region of Murcia ”, has recognized the deputy.
The more than sixty entities of the rural world that signed the petition as an essential activity, warn of five risks associated with the possible stoppage of hunting, all of them supported by numerous scientific studies, such as critical risks to public health, animal health and environmental health (tuberculosis or African swine fever), severe damages to road and citizen safety with an increase in traffic accidents derived from population imbalances of large game specimens, innumerable damages to agricultural activity or very important economic losses and of employment in areas that are also at particular risk of demographic abandonment.
Lastly, Salvador has requested "the free movement of hunters between their residence and the place where the hunt takes place."