Malta has some 15,000 hunters and 4,300 trappers out of a total population of 400,000. Its density of hunters per square kilometre is at least six times higher than that of any other EU country. Around two million birds are shot or trapped each year, including thousands of finches.
Over 80 protected species are illegally shot every year. Due to the intense persecution, only 18 species still breed regularly in Malta.
Illegal hunting activities (as per Maltese law) of particular concern include:
• Hunters shoot protected species to display them in collections of stuffed birds. This includes birds of prey, such as the globally threatened lesser kestrel, osprey and purple heron. In 2003, the government granted an amnesty for illegally-shot stuffed birds. Nearly 270,000 birds were registered, even though only 2,589 hunters submitted their lists
• Small protected species, such as swallows and swifts, are shot for target practice.
• Repeater shotguns firing more than three cartridges are widely used.
• Hunting goes on in bird sanctuaries, such as Girgenti and Buskett, where hunting is banned.
The law
In March 2006, following a formal complaint by BirdLife Malta and BirdLife International, and under the threat of legal action by the European Commission, Malta introduced a new law that is closer to the EU Birds Directive. A newly constituted Ornis Committee, with representatives of BirdLife Malta and the Federation of Hunters, Trappers and Conservationists, will advise the government on issues relating to hunting and recommend hunting season dates.
From this year the following are expected to be banned:
• Spring hunting from seacraft.
• Trapping of golden plover, song thrush, turtle dove and quail.
• Spring trapping of seven species of finches (goldfinch, greenfinch, serin, siskin, linnet, hawfinch and chaffinch).
However the Government still intends to allow:
• Spring hunting of turtle doves and quails.
• Autumn trapping of seven species of finches, using clap nets and live decoy birds, for sale as decoys or caged birds.
When it joined the EU in 2004, Malta was the only country to win a transition period in transposing and implementing the Birds Directive - to allow trapping of seven finch species as above, until 2008. During this time, it has to meet a number of interim targets, such as establishing a captive finch-breeding programme and registering trapping sites.
When Malta joined the Berne Convention in 1993, it entered a reservation allowing it to continue spring hunting of turtle doves and quails and the trapping of the seven finch species.
Malta insists on retaining spring hunting of turtledove and quail by derogation from the Birds Directive. However, following Malta's submission of a derogation report for 2004, BirdLife Malta, with the help of RSPB and BirdLife International, submitted a report to the European Commission with scientific arguments against spring hunting in Malta.
In June 2006, the European Commission started legal infringement procedures that can lead to a case in the European Court of Justice against Malta for allowing spring hunting.
In addition to killing tens of thousands of turtledoves and quails in spring, illegal hunters use this open season as a loophole to kill many other, often threatened, species.
Police law enforcement deteriorated in 2005 with only 289 hunters charged in court, in comparison to the 475 in 2004. The Police Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) Section are still heavily understaffed in relation to the number of licensed hunters.
Conservation Act
BirdLife Malta monitors hunting and trapping, and campaigns for compliance of Maltese law with the Birds Directive, especially an end to spring hunting.
It urges political commitment to effective law enforcement and collaborates with the police on cases of illegal hunting. In January 2002, BirdLife Malta provided photographic evidence to the police that led to the charging in court of hunters who illegally shot mute swans from a speedboat in a crowded bay.
BirdLife Malta runs an educational campaign in schools and carries out public awareness campaigns. A public opinion poll in April 2006 showed two-thirds of Maltese people wanted a total ban on all hunting and trapping.
BirdLife Malta organises an international raptor observation and protection camp every September. The presence of foreign observers and police in the Buskett area has helped reduce illegal hunting there.
Malta can no longer allow a few thousands to dictate how regulations are drawn up. I urge the Government and Opposition to work hand in hand on this matter.
To those who think that by not voting in the next general election they will solve any problems, I would suggest they think twice. Singing "Viva l-Labour" on Freedom Square, Valletta, won't change the rules and regulations of the European Union.