The Minister of Agriculture, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Òscar Ordeig, explained that he was finalizing a report to analyze the population density of wild boars in Catalonia and give economic incentives to hunters to reduce the number of specimens. Following the appearance of African swine fever (ASF), the Government intends to reduce the presence of the animal to prevent new outbreaks of the virusproblems that may arise such as traffic accidents or interactions in an urban environment. The Catalan Executive wants to promote measures similar to those applied by the Government of Aragon, such as give 30 euros per specimen killed.
He explained this after meeting with representatives of the pork sector, who also warned that there is a proliferation of game in the Catalan ecosystem. The report, presented Tuesday to the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, seeks to put on the table the necessary measures to reduce wild boar overpopulation.
“We must put an end to the overpopulation of wild boars,” defended Ordeig, who asked a change of “mentality” regarding areas such as forest management or increasing the number of this specimen. “We need a rigorous change in mentality and elimination of prejudice towards hunters or farmers,” said the Agriculture official.
“We could not stop their growth (wild boars), we see how we work to reduce density“, he assured. Among the measures they plan, they defend the granting of aid to promote hunting and the consumption of game meat. Ordeig added that they would present a battery of measures.
He also assured that restrictions on mobility and access to natural environments which They are within the framework of confinement “they will not expand more than necessary”. They will therefore continue until December 14. He celebrated citizen monitoring of restrictions on the natural environment over the weekend and announced that 112 had received approximately 1,700 calls related to ASF since the start of the epidemic.
As the advisor explains, 11,000 hectares within a 20 kilometer radius have already been searched, and 50% of these inspections were carried out on foot. Likewise, he explained that slaughterhouses have already started receiving the first pigs found on farms that are within the 20-kilometer radius of containment of the swine fever epidemic. It is about 35,600 animals which will be marketed in Spain for human consumption, as they cannot be exported.
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