The Government will not be giving a public amnesty for the illegal hunting that has taken place since September, the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for hunting, Clint Camilleri, said on INDEPTH.

The autumn hunting season is two months in, and over 100 protected birds have been illegally shot.

Camilleri told The Malta Independent's editor-in-chief, Rachel Attard, that if the government were to give an amnesty, it would only result in giving more leeway for abuse.

He said that the current situation with regard to hunting has seen a sustainable progress over the past few years. He said that enforcement has become stricter and that there are many police officers patrolling the countryside in Malta and Gozo on a daily basis.

There has also been a radical change in the mentality of Maltese hunters, who are more aware of the consequences of not abiding to law regulations, he said. Unfortunately, there are still a number of hunters who are not following such regulations.

Enforcement comes to play in such situations, and these hunters are taken to court, where they are ordered to pay hefty fines. Camilleri said that there has been a drastic decline in illegal hunting.

He said that as Parliamentary Secretary responsible for his sector, he must find a balance between the work of NGOs and the Government. To develop sustainable hunting, one must look at the bigger picture of what projects are being financed and how they are aiding the environment.

He said that it doesn't mean that projects held by FKNK are as important as those of BirdLife Malta, Nature Trust or KSU. Such government-funded projects are all aimed to help safeguard the environment.

Camilleri insisted that we must find solutions that are adequate and balanced for both the hunters and those NGOs, even if they do not necessarily see eye to eye.