Hunters’ lobby claims ‘unethical action’ by BirdLife
The hunters’ federation (FKNK) yesterday deplored the publicisation by BirdLife of details from a confidential agenda of the Ornis Committee, the committee that decides on the dates for hunting seasons.
“BLM made this latest unethical move last Sunday 28 February to manipulate public opinion and influence the deliberations of the committee, who are at present examining FKNK’s proposals for hunting and trapping of the turtle dove and the quail come April/May, before the committee makes its recommendations to the Prime Minister,” FKNK secretary-general Lino Farrugia said.
The hunters’ federation is proposing to double the number of birds that can be shot over Malta in its position document on a “limited” spring hunting season. The federation estimate that Malta can shoot as many as 72,000 quails and 63,000 turtle doves during the spring hunting season and still be in line with EU rules. The proposals were submitted last Tuesday to the Ornis Committee.
Farrugia said that since the European Commission failed to prove the point made by BirdLife, the Court of Justice had declared that “it is not apparent from the documents in the case that the population of the two species of birds hunted is below a satisfactory level”.
“Discounted by the ECJ, Mr Temuge’s opinion is worthless,” Farrugia said.
The FKNK said its proposals to the Ornis committee address the main points of the ruling by the ECJ, namely the disproportionately-long hunting period, the inequitable ratios of the spring-to-autumn harvests, the ‘small numbers’ principle, and the condition of strict supervision, as well as other ancillary matters.
“The calculations in the FKNK proposals are based on hard facts and statistics obtained from the records of BirdLife International, and other official sources, accessible to everybody. They are certainly not based on the gratuitous opinions of biased individuals. We trust that the MOC will not be influenced by desperate last-minute attempts in the media aimed at confusing the issue,” Farrugia said.
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