Federazzjoni Kaċċaturi Nassaba Konservazzjonisti (FKNK) has called out against a “discriminatory” project being put forward by Natalino Fenech through Kaċċaturi San Ubertu (KSU).
The FKNK lamented that this project will enable Fenech and “twelve privileged trappers selected by Fenech and KSU” to be able to trap turtle doves.
“Now, thanks to the KSU hunters' union, as well as with the help of the Wild Birds Regulations Unit (WBRU) it will be brought before the Ornis Committee to see how they can implement this discriminatory project this spring.”
The FKNK said that it has been rejecting this spring pigeon research project for many years.
“This is because Fenech wants that as part of his research, trapping for turtle dove is done only by a few privileged trappers. For FKNK such discrimination is absolutely unacceptable. Either everyone is allowed to trap, or no one is allowed to trap!” their statement read.
The FKNK noted that the proposals that it is putting forward to the Ornis Committee for spring 2021 – apart from the proposals to allow hunting for turtle doves and quails – would also include “a research proposal on the passage of turtle doves and quails”.
This is a supplement to the Turtle Dove Breeding and Leaving Project that FKNK started in 2017, they noted.
“In this proposal, all trappers will be able to participate in this research without any discrimination,” the statement read, while noting that FKNK representatives in the Ornis Committee “will resist the discriminatory proposal of the KSU hunters ’association with all their might and on behalf of the thousands of trapping members of the same FKNK.”
“If this proposal by Natalino Fenech is approved, thousands of other trappers will be forced into staring at these dozen of trappers like them as they trap, while they can't,” the statement concluded.
In a comment given to this newspaper, PN MEP candidate Peter Agius said that in his opinion, “Fenech's project is going in the right direction as it includes 'small quantities' and people trained in a controlled setting - which are essential ingredients according to court cases to apply a derogation from the bird directive.”
On the other hand, Agius noted that although FKNK’s projects are interesting, they need more scientific input.
“The FKNK project to raise pigeons indoors in a concrete cage with a density of 100 birds at 10 meters (which they then claim to release into the wild where they live or behave naturally) is a nice idea but it is hard to imagine having a use in the context of conservation and the bird directive. In this sector too we need more scientific and technical input.”