When it comes to debating spring hunting in Malta (or rather hunting in general), irrelevant to whatever side of the debate you take, there is no easy way to tread lightly on the topic.
To a certain extent, I believe that this comes off as a result of the attitude displayed by both sides, those in favour and those against. Let me make myself clear, personally I have always maintained my position opposing hunting as blood sport and I long to see the day when it is banished from this country completely, but, with that being said I also think that the way some might have presented this side of the argument could have only served to cause a wider gap between both sides rather than a consensus.
There were occasions in which I felt that the anti-hunting activists approached hunting or better still, hunters with a somewhat ‘air of superiority’, seeming to look down with disgust at them (the recent killing of the flamingo, among others demanded nothing less, granted).
I also feel that when addressing hunting as a hobby, we (at times myself included) lack any sort of empathy and simply dismiss this by saying that hunters should just find another hobby. In reality I do believe that one must try to be more sensitive and at least attempt to see things from the perspective of someone who has been brought up in a‘hunting culture’ and has never known otherwise. So here my criticism is directed more towards an attitude rather than the argument itself, something which I understand is subjective.
On their part, most hunters only help in making the situation worse for themselves with the endless shooting of protected birds, aggressive threats, and a militant approach (their infamous protest last September and the Chris Packham quarrel immediately come to mind).
Fuelled by FKNK, hunters often enjoy portraying themselves as defenceless minority, but whenever cornered by the authorities in any way, they are quick to threaten our politicians with their 20K+ (oh and let’s not forget their ‘wives and families’) stronghold of votes. And claims of being treated ‘worse than criminals’ really does the hunters no justice at all when many of us have grown tired of hearing about protected birds that have been shot.
It therefore comes off as no surprise that while attempting to eye sympathy votes, the ‘Yes’ camp is also merging the fate of their so-called pass-time, the illogical massacre of birds, with other, relatively harmless hobby groups, saying that they should stand together. This, of course, is absurd and a poor attempt to induce fear in other minority groups, since apart from fishing (which is practised for consumption but can also be harmful if not adequately regularised), no other sport or hobby, call it what you may, in Malta, has the objective to kill.
Now after a relentless number of years of evaluating all the odds and ends to what is one of the most controversial topics in Malta, we have been given the opportunity to make a choice. I’d like to delve into some points which I think are important for everyone to take into consideration come voting day. In essence, we must keep in mind what the real issue is. A common mistake I tend to make when presenting my views on the upcoming referendum is to base my arguments solely around hunting generally, rather than spring hunting in it’s own context. While the two share many common ground, and what applies for one can easily be applied for another, the lack of a clear distinction between the two can lead to misunderstanding.
Spring hunting has it’s own particularities which is why there is more speculation around its impact. Spring is the time of year when most birds reproduce, so one really needn’t be an expert to realise that opening the hunting season during this time of year will harm the breeding population. The Turtle Dove and the Quails, which have both been hunting targets in Malta for many years, have become a conservational concern with a noted decline in population status. As we’ve all witnessed very clearly so many times, these two species unfortunately were not the only ones to be targeted by hunters. With Malta being a stopover for many species migrating from Africa to Northern Europe, many protected birds such as the Pallid Harrier, the Osprey and even the Greater Flamingo have been illegally targeted by hunters in the spring. Therefore, abolishing spring hunting also reduces the onslaught of endangered species. That’s from a technical perspective. I’d also like to call into question the better judgement of both Joseph Muscat and Simon Busuttil. Without getting political, it’s no secret that the two main political parties have succumbed to various compromises and backdoor deals with hunters in an attempt to keep everyone happy, but that has clearly failed miserably, so it seems. Lately we’ve all heard a lot of talk about making Malta more appealing for the upper class tourist (we’re even opening a six-star hotel!), which is all well and good. But with regards to tourism, one of Malta’s largest economies, as well as our public image, how can we even hope to attract any sort of tourist when one cannot even enjoy a beautiful April day in the countryside without the constant pestering sound of pellets being fired in the background. And let’s face it, Malta’s track record on animal rights raises eyebrows for all the wrong reasons, so with spring hunting around, it’s only getting worse.
Having turned 18 last June, this referendum together with the local council elections shall be the first elections in which I will be able to vote. A right and obligation I plan on taking seriously. I plan on making my first ever vote in the Maltese electorate meaningful. With it, and many others like it, I hope to safeguard the lives of thousands of migrating birds flying over our islands in spring. I hope that with my vote, and others like it, birds can be fully enjoyed and appreciated by everyone, in their natural habitat – something which I think no one should have the right to deprive us of. With my vote, and others like it, I hope to abolish spring hunting once and for all, which is why I shall be