The Valencian Government has authorised the decree-law of extraordinary and preventative measures to fight African swine flu and the overpopulation of wild pigs in 542 municipalities, which is the whole Valencian Community. The Government approved the preliminary report on measures last week. This was a crucial step for the ratification of the decree-law, which has a budget of 6 million euros. Out of this money, 2 million euros will go to subsidies to encourage wild boar hunting and their effective removal from the wild, and 4 million euros will go to pay for the extra population control service and the Logistics Unit’s setup.
The goal is to lower the number of wild boars, which are thought to be a risk factor for spreading the disease. This means that control measures need to be stepped up over wide areas. African swine flu doesn’t hurt people, but it could have big effects on the cattle industry in terms of money and production.
Law 13/2004 says that the people who own hunting areas (mostly hunting societies and clubs, private groups, and municipalities that manage more than 80% of the Valencian land that could support wild boar populations) are in charge of managing the species in those areas. These owners are also responsible for following the technical hunting management plans, since they have the legal and operational ability to arrange hunting operations.
The last 20% of the land is also not owned by anyone. The Generalitat must set aside specific resources to control the wild boar population in these areas, as it is just as important as it is in the rest of the territory. It must also support the management of hunting areas and controlled hunting zones by the owners and those who have been given concessions for these areas. This will make it easier to remove captured wild boar, since these animals could help spread African swine fever if it breaks out.
The decree also sets up a wildlife control agency and a logistics unit to collect and destroy dead animals, coordinate all operations, and keep an eye on how wild boar populations are changing.
The law sets up direct help for owners of hunting reserves. They will get 40 euros for each animal they hunt and take out of the wild. The entitlement to payment will apply to animals that are killed between January 1, 2026, and September 15, 2026, and whose capture is recorded by the Logistics Unit within that time. The programme will encompass 353 hunting reserves and regions in Alicante, 209 in Castellón, and 438 in Valencia.
The order also gives the public firm Vaersa an emergency mandate. Starting in January, they will set up a special service to collect hunted animals and put in place a trapping system to put trap boxes in places where hunting isn’t a good answer. This extra support will make it possible to act in safe zones and on terrain that isn’t suited, making sure that the response is complete and effective.
So, the Generalitat has looked at different options for sport hunting and wild boar control, working closely with other departments and specialised technical teams. They chose the one that covers the most municipalities and pig farms, focussing on the areas that are most at risk.
The proposal makes the A-7, AP-7, N-232, A-3, A-23, CV-35, and CV-10 road corridors priority locations where wildlife needs extra protection. The programme will also make it easier to update and standardise passive monitoring procedures so that the information is more reliable and the same criteria are used across the Valencian Community.
Author: Derek Appleton
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