Anti-spring hunting coalition condemns reduction of curfew

The Coalition for the Abolition of Spring Hunting has condemned the government's decision to reduce the hunting curfew between the 15th and 30th September 2013 by four hours.

The curfew has been rolled back from 3pm to 7pm.

Christian Debono, spokesperson for the coalition said the decision was a clear sign that there was "little interest by the government in ensuring the conservation of migratory birds over the Maltese islands.  While not directly relevant to spring hunting, this decision indicates that the future of spring hunting must be put before the people."

The coalition is urging the public to sign its petition calling for a referendum to ban spring hunting "as an opportunity to show that the Maltese population cares for wildlife, bird conservation and democracy."

A legal notice by the Labour government has practically removed a hunting curfew, extending it from 3pm to 7pm between 15 and 30 September. The change will lead to a "massacre" of hundreds of protected of birds of prey, conservationists warned yesterday.

The decision was criticised by BirdLife Malta, whose executive Director Steve Micklewright said the decision was informed by the presence of hunting sympathisers in the environment ministry's Wild Birds Regulation Unit.

Describing the decision as a "licence for the illegal killing of protected birds", Micklewright said. "This decision clearly shows that bird conservation on Malta is not best served by the new Wild Birds Regulation Unit under the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights."

The curfew was originally introduced by the previous government because of the difficulties in stopping large-scale shooting of birds of prey.  Birds of prey migrate from Sicily and reach the Maltese Islands after 3pm.

Leo Brincat and Roderick Galdes are, respectively, the minister and junior minister responsible for the environment. They have claimed that the curfew was "depriving law-abiding hunters from hunting opportunities in the afternoon".

But ornithologists have been quick to point out that the migration of species hunted legally in Malta, namely the turtle dove and quail, takes place in the morning.

The present, government-appointed chairman of the Ornis Committee, Louis F. Cassar, did not see eye-to-eye with BirdLife Malta before his appointment.

As a sop to the environmental groups, the ministry said it would recognise the need to strengthen enforcement and safeguard the passage of protected birds of prey through ensuring additional protection during the time when roosting birds are most vulnerable.