Guns and gamebirds (1)

The letter by Michael Fitzgibbons, of Barnsley, England (Ecological Bullies In Malta, March 31) is typical of patronizing outsiders. He proposes to ban gun or reduce ownership in Malta. The handgun ban introduced after Dunblane silenced British gun clubs did not prevent criminals from arming themselves as never before, so that crimes involving firearms in the UK more than trebled since Dunblane. Pathetic and useless, the ban on handguns disrupted a legitimate sport but did absolutely nothing to make British citizens safer. Now Mr Fitzgibbons proposes to deprive Maltese law-abiding hunters of the means to exercise a legitimate activity. This proposal is equivalent to "ecological bullying" that Mr Fitzgibbons rightly deplores. How's that for consistency?

About species in decline, the two species (turtledoves and quails) which the present hullabaloo is about are classified as LC (Least Concern) on the Red Data List issued by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) through its Species Survival Commission (SSC). Widespread and abundant taxa come under the Least Concern category. For the record, the SSC provides "the world with the most objective, scientifically based information on the current status of globally threatened biodiversity".

The EU Commissioner for the Environment knows very well the government has a very strong case, not least on the crucial issue of the status of these two game bird species. It comes as no surprise that he prefers to use friendly persuasion on the Maltese government to withdraw its spring hunting derogation, than to take it to the European Court of Justice.

About bird migration routes, the "funnels" for birds flying between Africa and Europe are only three: Gibraltar (western Mediterranean), Cape Bon (central), and the Bosphorus (eastern). Malta is definitely not one of them, however much BirdLife Malta and people like Mr Fitzgibbons try to make it out to be. Nor is Malta a "bottleneck" as falsely asserted by the movers of the resolution on Malta adopted on March 15, 2007 by the European Parliament. Malta is merely a point accidentally encountered by birds migrating on a broad front, accent on "broad". The observations in situ over the years of all serious ornithologists affirm this fact. A glance at a good map may help. A good map incidentally is one that includes Malta!

Finally, if the correspondent is concerned about Malta's reputation and its tourist industry, he should desist from sending letters to this newspaper based on misinformation and wishful thinking. Above all, he should resist the temptation to foist his ill-considered opinions on the citizens of Malta and its government.