Prime Minister’s intervention follows massacre of protected birds

The government yesterday took the draconian decision of closing the autumn hunting season until 10 October to safeguard birds of prey and other protected species as they migrate south to Africa for the winter.

The decision was taken on the instructions of the Prime Minister’s Office and follows a week when protected birds were killed wantonly.

The autumn hunting season was suspended from yesterday at 3pm and will resume on 11 October, when protected birds would have already migrated past Malta.

“The government decided to immediately stop the hunting season following the recent incidents where criminals repeatedly targeted protected birds,” the Department of Information said in a statement.

“We were clear from the start that while agreeing that hunters’ rights should be protected, abuses will not be tolerated.”

Noting that the majority of hunters respected the laws, the statement said that a small group of criminals were however causing harm to the rest. The government said harsher penalties and enforcement did not deter the criminal acts, “with some thinking they could go on doing whatever they like”.

The Ornis Committee chaired by Mark Anthony Falzon had taken the controversial decision of proposing the revocation of the 3pm September hunting curfew meant to give greater protection to roosting birds.

The Ornis Committee was not consulted about the government’s decision to suspend the season. Repeated attempts by phone and text messages to contact Falzon for a comment proved futile.

BirdLife Malta yesterday called for the immediate reform of the Ornis Committee, arguing its membership should contain more experts in bird conservation and hunting. “Reports it receives for consideration by government officials should be objective and based on scientific evidence, enabling balanced recommendations to be made,” the NGO said.

Government’s decision welcomed ‘despite being late’

BirdLife Malta, CABS and political parties PN and AD welcomed news of the suspension.

However, both Alternattiva Demokratika and the PN accused Labour of leading to the birds massacre for having sent “clear messages” that illegalities would be tolerated.

According to the PN, yesterday’s decision could have been avoided if the government had not made a series of wrong decisions, mainly by transferring several ALE officers to other sections and revoking the 3pm curfew.

The PN said the Nationalist administration had banned autumn hunting following the massacre of barn owls in 2007.

“The numerous transfers that took place within the ALE and the decision to repeal the 3pm curfew gave hunters the idea that they could do whatever they liked without any restrictions,” the PN said. “Today’s decision would have been avoided if the government had been more prudent.”

Echoing the PN’s comments, AD deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said the bird massacre that took place was a “logical consequence” of the Labour Party’s message.

Hunters: ‘draconian measure reflects badly on government’

Hunters’ lobby FKNK was certainly less happy about the action: yesterday it announced it had suspended its participation in the Ornis Committee, the body recommending the dates for the opening of hunting seasons, in protest at what it said was the government’s “discriminatory action” to close down the hunting season.

FKNK chief executive Lino Farrugia said the lobby would consider legal action and other measures of protest.

“We disagree with this decision. It’s a grave mistake and a line of action that weakens the government’s position, in that it has given in to criminals rather than continue to strengthen legal hunting and the FKNK which have progressed immensely over the last decade,” Farrugia said.

Farrugia said the FKNK had collaborated with the authorities to curtail illegal hunting and poaching. “The person who was caught shooting a White Stork earlier this month, tried and found guilty and sentenced, was not an FKNK member and did not even have a hunting licence – so why link the incident with legal and sustainable hunting? Wrongdoers are found in all sectors of society. Therefore, it is wrong that government has decided to punish the innocent rather than just the individual wrongdoer. This is a clear discriminatory action against legal hunters and can never be accepted.”

Kaccaturi San Ubertu (KSU) said the collective punishment was counterproductive and reflected badly on Government’s immense efforts to regulate hunting.

“By Government’s own admission the small minority undermining hunting to the detriment of others was the cause to castigate the majority that are responsible in their actions,” KSU said.

It said it had offered solutions to the problem that were more equitable and that facilitated the reporting of any illegal activity.

“We unreservedly condemn illegal activity but we consider the measures taken as draconian in this day and age where dialogue and proper consultation do lead to the best solution to any such problem.”

KSU, pointing out the anticipated appointment of Malta’s Karmenu Vella as European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said Malta should “set the example of how the plague of wildlife crime throughout all the EU member states is to be tackled in a more appropriate manner”.

Harsher penalties did not deter illegalities

Increased enforcement and harsher penalties that included a tenfold increase in fines and prison sentences have not deterred illegal hunting.

The recent amendments to Malta’s bird conservation laws also saw the permanent removal of a 3pm hunting curfew.

Since 2007, a 3pm curfew between 15 September and 30 September had been enforced to protect migrating birds of prey as they came in to roost.

Having completed their breeding season in Europe, birds of prey typically arrive in their masses as they make their way south to winter in Africa.

Birds arriving late during the day scour the Maltese countryside flying low in search of suitable roosting sites, making them easy targets.

BirdLife’s Raptor Camp in 2013 recorded 54.5% of shooting at protected species occurring after 3pm, however the government claimed that in 2013 there was a reduction in cases after 3pm and no cases were prosecuted by police for illegal hunting after 7pm.

At least two White Storks and two Marsh Harriers were shot dead this week while a picture of a Honey Buzzard with severe shotgun injuries flying over Buskett was released.

The second confirmed killing of the protected White Storks took place late yesterday morning in Mellieha. A man was arrested and he reportedly admitted to the crime.

The hunters’ federation FKNK however insisted that the shot bird was not a White Stork but a dotterel.

A hunter from St Julian’s who was arrested last Tuesday for shooting dead a bird of the same species was arraigned on the following day, fined €5,000, received a suspended jail sentence but the police are now seeking an effective jail term.