The spring hunting season opened on Tuesday, with the vast majority of Europe, and even Malta, bitterly opposing the government’s decision to allow it.
The government of Malta clearly has a problem. It is facing increasing pressure from the European Commission and is very likely to face legal action in Europe’s courts for what the EC is terming a clear breach of the Birds Directive. Not only does the government face this obstacle, it also has to deal with the wrath of various anti-hunting associations and the country’s electorate. Let us face facts, the vast majority of people look on the shooting and trapping of birds as a source of embarrassment for the country as a whole. Not only that, but the majority of people, quite frankly, hate it.
The Federation of Conservationist Hunters and Trappers recently organised a protest, the ensuing chaos of which we will not delve into, and to give them their due, they are rightly irked by what they are claiming were lies by the government in the lead-up to EU accession.
It is not the intention to back their cause in this editorial, but to make things clear – if they were lied to as they claim, it was a faux pas by the government. Yet, we must look into other matters. The FKNK said that it always condemned instances of illegal hunting. It may do so in words, but this is clearly not enough. The hunting season opened for its third day today and up to the time of going to print last night, three protected species have already been shot. These included two birds of prey – marsh harriers, a pallid harrier and a purple heron.
One of the birds was found to be in an advanced state of decomposition, which indicated that it had been shot down prior to the opening of the season. One does not need forensic technology to fathom how much illegal hunting goes on while the season is closed. Just ask people who live in the countryside how many shots they hear ring out every morning. It’s quite atrocious really. The police’s Administrative and Law Enforcement do try and keep up with things, but a few off-road vehicles are not going to help in tracking down individual hunters who persist in breaking the law. Most people would not know the distinctive difference between, say, a marsh harrier and a turtle dove while in flight so reporting incidents of illegal hunting to the police is also difficult.
The government has increased fines handed out to those found in breach of hunting laws, but has it worked? If we were to look at the first few days of this season, the answer would have to be an emphatic, resounding and rather pathetic no. Hunters are still blasting what they want out of the sky with impunity. Why impunity? Because the police simply don’t have the resources to keep up with what is clearly a sector of society that has no qualms about taking a gamble and breaking the law.
If the FKNK wants to try and build up the credibility which it quite clearly lacks, then there is only one solution – self regulation. The FKNK should have the mettle to seek out those who break the law and shop them to the police while also expelling them from their “club”. However one wonders whether this will ever happen. The answer will probably be no. Any ideas anyone?