The new regulations on hunting and trapping will not lead to the pastimes being abolished or stopped but only serve to ensure that these are carried out within the parameters of the law, the Environment and Rural Affairs Ministry said yesterday.

The ministry said the new regulations for the conservation of wild birds were necessary in order to ensure the correct transposition of the European Union’s Birds Directive and not to abolish hunting and trapping.

In a statement, the ministry said the regulations were drawn up following extensive discussions and consultation with all those involved. This process began in September 2005. It said the new regulations had to be introduced in order to transpose the Birds Directive as well as provisions included in the Accession Treaty that Malta signed to join the European Union. It said the regulations do not include any new rules except those included in the Birds Directive.

The ministry said most of the criticism of the Hunting Federation on the regulations was about regulations which have been there for several years and which have been, once again, included in the new regulations. As examples, the ministry said the fact that hunters can lower their boats from designated slipways is already included in the previous regulations as is the fact that hunting is not allowed two hours before sunrise as well as on Sundays and public holidays.

Moreover, the fact that one needs a licence to stuff birds or act as a taxidermist is already part of the law.

The ministry made reference to the new regulation which lays down that boats used for hunting on the sea should have a maximum speed of 18 kilometres per hour. It said this new regulation was introduced following the consultation period which began in September 2005.

On the composition of the Ornis Committee, the ministry said two members of the committee will be selected by and represent those who are licensed to hunt and another two members will be experts in the sector of avifauna. It said the two members representing hunters will be involved in the decision on the hunting season.