'Vote with your minds, not your hearts' – SHout

Mark Sultana says high level of bird breeding in nature reserves and South European and North African countries proof of spring hunting's disruptive nature

Spring Hunting Out (SHout) spokesperson Mark Sultana encouraged the public to vote according to facts, rather than emotions, in the upcoming spring hunting referendum.

“The crux of this debate is sustainability,” Sultana said during a press conference organised by the Broadcasting Authority. “Killing migrating birds when they are about to nest can never be considered sustainable.” 

He rubbished claims that the No campaign would act intolerantly in the case of a Yes victory.

“Our statement that a victory for the Yes camp would represent a loss for democracy was a response to the Yes campaign’s claims that supporters of the referendum were intolerant,” Sultana said. “The hunters had protested against the holding of the referendum, but the courts dismissed their arguments.

“Hunters are insisting that the referendum is anti-democratic and intolerant, but a referendum is the strongest expression of democracy. It will allow people to make a decision on an issue of environmental concern. 

“Democracy is priceless,” he added, referring to attacks about the perceived cost of holding such a referendum.

He urged the 21,000 people who have yet to do so to collect their voting documents. 

“A victory for the No camp will show that the people are finally ready to stand up and seriously address environmental issues,” he pointed out. 

Sultana was asked for evidence that the abolishment of spring hunting will result in more birds flocking to Malta to nest. 

“Turtledove and quail breed in the spring in Southern Europe and North African countries, none of which allows them to get hunted in the spring,” he responded. “Moreover, spring hunting also disturbs other migratory bird species. The proof is that birds breed far more successfully inside Malta’s nature reserves than they do outside of them.” 

He referred to Judge Emeritus Giovanni Bonello’s rejection of the hunters’ claims that this referendum could lead to further referenda to ban other hobbies.

“An abrogative referendum can only be held to remove a law, and there are no laws that permit hobbies like fishing and fireworks,” he said. “Rather, the law regulates those hobbies, meaning that any abrogative referendum will only stop their regulation.

“I urge the Yes camp to show one law that proves that other hobbies can be banned through an abrogative referendum.” 

Asked whether party leaders’ opinions would tip the scales in favour of a yes vote, Sultana pointed out that both Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil have announced that they would not campaign but would leave the decision up to civil society. 

He was asked to comment on former EU Environment Commissioner Janez’ Potocnik’s statement that the spring hunting of turtle dove and quail is justified by the lack of such birds flying over Malta during autumn. 

“Information on how many birds are caught in autumn is based on the figures declared by the hunters themselves, and we know that they under-report their catches,” Sultana said. 

“The turtle dove and quail that migrate to Malta in Spring are the strongest of their kind, and they would have passed through many difficulties before arriving here,” Sultana said. “Killing them before they have a chance to breed is not sustainable.

“Hunters will still be allowed to hunt turtle dove and quail, along with 40 other bird species, between September and January,” he said.