The largest sector of Maltese surveyed on hunting believe that hunting and trapping should be abolished, a survey conducted by the television programme Xarabank has revealed.
A total of 44.3 per cent said they agreed with abolishing hunting and trapping and 38.6 per cent said they disagreed. The rest, 17.1 per cent, said they were undecided.
A high 63.8 per cent called for tougher action against illegal hunting/trapping and only 18.2 per cent said they disagreed with stiffer measures, the rest being undecided.
The phone survey was carried out between October 11-15 among a random sample of 1,208 people.
The first question posed to respondents focused on the recently-struck agreement in Malta's negotiations with the European Union with regard to hunting and trapping. Talks on the issue were sealed last month.
The largest number of the sample (35 per cent) said they did not know how to rate the agreement and were undecided.
The next largest grouping of respondents (28.6 per cent) said the agreement was "balanced" between the environment and the interests of hunters/ trappers.
A total of 26.2 per cent said the agreement favoured the environment and was detrimental to hunters/trappers and 10.2 per cent saw the agreement as favouring the hunters/trappers and went against the protection of the environment.
The respondents were asked whether they agreed with the part of the agreement stipulating that Malta was the only EU country where hunting and trapping would be allowed in spring.
A total of 41.1 per cent said they disagreed with hunting and trapping in spring, 32.2 per cent said they agreed and 26.7 per cent said they were undecided.
Those in the 17-24 age category were the most vociferous against hunting, with 51.1 per cent saying they favoured a decision to abolish it.
On the other hand, the age group with the strongest claim in favour of maintaining hunting/trapping was the 35-44 age (40.6 per cent).
The socio-economic grouping which strongly favoured tougher action against illegal hunting and trapping was the professional and managerial category, with 62.7 per cent.
Students and housewives shared the same view with 68.3 per cent and 67.6 per cent respectively saying stiffer measures should be adopted.
The third and fourth electoral districts (Zabbar, Zejtun Marsascala, Gudja, Marsa, Paola, Santa Lucija, and Tarxien), were the areas with the highest percentage of respondents who said hunting/trapping should be abolished. On the other hand, the second and 12th (Vittoriosa, Senglea Cospicua, Fgura Kalkara, Mdina, Mellieha, Mgarr, St Paul's Bay) districts had the highest percentage of respondents who disagreed with its abolition.
The only electoral districts that did not have a majority in favour of making hunting/trapping illegal, were the second, the seventh, the 11th, the 12th and the 13th.
Xarabank will be addressing the controversial subject of hunting and trapping in the coming weeks.
Ironically, the hunting deal with the EU has come under fire by both hunters and environmentalists.
Hunters insist they want no changes to the present arrangements and the environmentalists have accused the government of negotiating a favourable deal for hunters and trappers.