Over 2,100 spot-checks during spring hunting, 54 face charges

Eleven of 63 suspected offences include targeting of protected birds, hunting without a license and hunting within a bird sanctuary.

Enforced inspections carried out by the authorities during this year’s spring hunting season in Malta have doubled over last year and quadrupled over 2012, the government said.

Spring hunting 2014 came to an end on Wednesday and was marked by constant arguments between the hunting lobby and the conservationists, with the latter being called in for questioning by the police.

Hunters were this year allowed an 18-day spring shunting season for turtle dove and quail.

According to hunting lobby FKNK, thousands of hunters “deserved praise for the disciplined manner in which the relative hunting law was adhered to”.

According to the conservationists, while authorities have sought to portray increased enforcement and cooperation with BirdLife Malta and a reduction in illegal hunting, BirdLife Malta has not found this to be the case.

Statistics released by the government show that the Police and the Armed Forces of Malta collectively maintained a routine daily field deployment of 69 officers between 5am and 3pm. Deployment was further boosted during early morning hours up to maximum of between 80 and 96 officers.

A complement of 39 officers carried out daily patrols between 3pm and 9:30pm, whilst on certain dates, four officers were deployed on night patrols until 5am to monitor significant roosts of protected birds.

During the season, the police unmanned aerial surveillance vehicle (UAV) flew 25 sorties, ranging in duration between 15 and 30 minutes each, the majority of which were conducted during hours when hunting was not permitted.

Wild Birds Regulation Unit officials provided assistance in surveillance and investigations on a 24-hour basis and have also carried out separate field inspections during the season.

“This ratio of enforcement deployment per square km of countryside is by far the highest of any country in Europe,” the government said.

During the season, officers carried out 2,105 physical spot-checks on individual hunters (circa 21% of all licensed hunters) to verify compliance with special spring hunting license conditions.

These spot checks were performed in addition to 2,178 routine field patrols and inspections carried out by the ALE, and several hundred further inspections carried out by district police units as well as Gozo police.

“The total number of inspections and spot checks carried out during 2014 spring hunting season is more than double the number of inspections carried out during 2013 season and more than four times greater than the number of spot checks carried out in 2012,” the government said.

2,054 inspections were carried out in 2013 while 1,072 inspections were carried out in 2012.

By the end of the season, 54 suspected offenders were apprehended. These persons are being charged with a total of 63 suspected offences that have been disclosed until 30 April. 

“11 violations are considered to be more serious as these involved suspected targeting of protected birds, hunting without a license, or hunting within a bird sanctuary,” the government said.

All cases are being prosecuted.

In addition, police officers located and dismantled 11 illegal electronic bird callers and investigated several reports of suspected targeting of protected birds.

“However, evidence gathered through investigations so far was insufficient to identify and charge suspected offenders in court,” the government added.

By comparison, during 2012 spring hunting season, the police disclosed a total of 64 offences, of which 24 violations were of relatively more serious nature, involving hunting without license, during unpermitted hours, in prohibited areas, or illegal trapping of protected birds.

During 2013 season, 53 hunting offences, of which 18 relatively more serious, were disclosed.

“The fact that during 2014 season, fewer serious incidents have been disclosed despite the greatly increased enforcement surveillance underscores that the overall rate of compliance has improved.