[WATCH] Labour on hunting: we won’t diverge from European framework of laws

A new Labour government will continue derogating from the EU's ban on spring hunting, Labour leader Joseph Muscat told conservationists BirdLife, during a tour of the group's nature reserve at Ghadira, in Mellieha.

By BirdLife director Steve Micklewright's own admission, it was not the happiest statement he wanted to hear being made, but he appreciated Muscat's honesty after the group first accused Labour of growing closer to the hunting lobby.

"There is no question of giving hunters any concessions," Muscat said of this accusation. "The issue is about following EU regulations within that very framework. Had we been 'hunting' for votes we would have sent hunters and trappers pre-electoral letters promising things we cannot deliver, much as the Nationalist Party has done in previous outings," Muscat said.

"EU regulations will be followed and we will operate within that framework," the Labour leader said. "Many are those who criticise, and that's fair enough. But we are not promising anything we cannot deliver."

Micklewright said he was pleased that Muscat had accepted the invitation to visit the reserve: "It shows that Labour are willing to engage with conservation organisations and recognise the value of BirdLife Malta's work for bird and nature conservation."

But the visit was also an opportunity for BirdLife to put some hard questions to Muscat, particularly about Labour's stance on issues of wildlife protection, law enforcement and safe access to the countryside, which have been the focus of the 'Your Voice Counts' campaign.

While claiming that no illegal hunting would be tolerated by a Labour government, Muscat admitted that Labour would revoke the €50 fee for the 'special spring hunting licence', but didn't say where funds to pay for the increased enforcement required to tackle illegal hunting would come from.

Micklewright also talked about the health and recreational benefits to people of having access to natural spaces and countryside, pointing out that, Maltese people suffered from the third highest rate of obesity in Europe.

Asked if, in light of this, he agreed that hunting should be banned in public Nature Parks, such as Majjistral, to make them safe for the public to use, Muscat remained non-committal, saying that there had to be "compromise".

He was, however, "intrigued" by a proposal put forward by Micklewright for the creation of a Nature Reserve in the south of Malta, like the two- Għadira and Is-Simar, in Xemxija- managed by BirdLife in the north of the island.

Muscat yesterday also declared that he would not hold a referendum on spring hunting, an answer he gave in The Times's Big Debate's 'yes or no' quick-fire questions.

Birdlife Malta has in the past expressed concern that Labour had failed to answer questions on how to deal with uncontrolled illegal hunting and trapping still taking place in Malta.

The group accused Muscat of "adopting the vocabulary of the hunting lobby" by promising privileges to hunters that their European counterparts do not have. Hunters in Malta can legally shoot 41 bird species during the five-month autumn hunting season, compared with just 18 wild bird species that can be hunted recreationally during the autumn season in the UK.

Since joining the EU, Malta has consistently opened a spring hunting season for Turtle Dove and Common Quail - something that is allowed under the EU Birds' Directive if the derogation specifies the law's conditions.

But BirdLife claims the derogation does not satisfy European management plans for both these species, which are declining in Europe and are of "unfavourable conservation status."

Muscat has also previously declared he does not agree with "gold plating" wildlife protection legislation in Malta "beyond what is required by the EU".

BirdLife wants Malta to take account of the local situation by going beyond the Bird Directive, and claims that removing the 3pm curfew on hunting for two weeks in autumn, might be on Labour's agenda.

Muscat has stated that there will be no renegotiation of EU Accession Treaty agreements.