The main hunting group, the FKNK, has reacted badly to the news that the government had handed the management of Salini to Birdlife Malta.

In a statement this afternoon complained that many areas were being handed over to the organization and hunting inside them was banned.

“Birdlife Malta and its allies have reason to be thankful to the government. Soon after the 2013 election the government gave them control of x-Xahra l-Ħamra, which is almost as big as Comino. The government has now given them another rural area, with a size of 100 hectares.  The FKNK is also informed that the government will shortly be increasing the number of sites where hunting is prohibited.”

The hunting group complained that the few remaining rural areas were full of buffer zones, sanctuaries, reserves, public gardens, beaches and other areas (around 3,000 hectares) where hunting is prohibited. These include the Ghadira and Simar sanctuaries, Buskett, the Mellieha cliffs, the Xrobb l-Għaġin park, the Wied Għollieqa reserve, part of Għajn Tuffieħa  and Ramla in Gozo, the Marsaxlokk park, the Majjistral Park.

FKNK said much of these areas are not open to the public and are mostly run by Birflife which, “according to official figures, has a maximum of 900 persons, many of whom are children.”

“The total number of hunters and trappers, on the other hand, exceeds 15,000 adults.”