Thursday, 24th April 2008 - 20:13CET
European Court bans spring hunting this year
The European Court of Justice has decided to uphold a request by the European Commission to ban spring hunting this year until a final decision is taken by the court on the future of spring hunting. To date Maltese hunters had been allowed to hunt for Turtle Dove and Quail.
The decision was welcomed by BirdLife Malta..
"The overwhelming majority of the Maltese are against spring hunting and they want to see their government protect our common European natural heritage. It is now time for law enforcement against illegal bird shooting and trapping to be stepped up so that this ban will be effective," BirdLife president Joseph Mangion said.
The court, headed by President of the Court, Vassilios Skouris, had been deliberating on the interim measure since April 2, when the last oral submissions by lawyers for the Maltese government and the Commission were made behind closed doors.
The Maltese government had argued that spring hunting should be allowed in terms of a derogation negotiated as part of the EU accession package.
Malta's team of lawyers included a Belgian lawyer specialising in the environment and in the Birds Directive.
Hearings before the court for a final decision on the future of spring hunting have not started yet.
The Commission is asking the court to declare that, by failing tomeet the conditions set out in Article 9 of Council Directive79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds, the Republic of Malta hasfailed to fulfill its obligations under Article 7 of the Directive forthe hunting of quail and turtle dove during spring migration.
Since accession to EU on May 1, 2004, the Maltese authorities haveexercised the right to apply the derogation in Article 9(1) of thedirective for the hunting of quail and turtle dove during the springmigration period when they return to their nesting ground.
The question raised in the proceedings is whether the Malteseauthorities fall within the scope of the derogation in Article 9 (1)which would permit the hunting of the species in question in spring onthe basis that there is no other satisfactory solution.
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Comments
Dear Joseph Denis Caruana, precisely what FKNK is predicting, apart from the fact that FKNK has always and unequovically defended its law-abiding members and 'our' socio-cultural practices, warned against the "greens" manipulations, respected - but - doubted BIG BROTHER's strategies, campaigned across Malta and the EU (deprived of the necessary funds to actuate such an enormous feat, unlike BLM!) only to realise that BLM and its foreign mercenaries have very apparent contacts in the EU council! Yes rejoice, dear RDC, this is only the beginning!
This is to EU:-
How about having a closed hunting year every four years for
ALL COUNTRIES at the same time irrespective of what each country hunts most, whether it be birds, foxes, whatever?
This will help increase reproduction of hunted species and even keep the ecosystem balanced to a certain extent .
Well Spoken. The funny thing about all this is, that our dear Prime Minister played a very big part in this charade and could'nt give two hoots about hunting. NEVER DID
On record this is the first Spring in Malta without hunting as this interim measure by BIG BROTHER was approved. The REAL case is still to come and being the positive person I am I will not give up until the ship is entirely under water.
What worries me is that I am sure that we had a case and as declared earlier in my writings a level playing field should have favoured us (Malta) but this was not the case. The one thing closest to my heart (apart from family of course) was outlawed for now and hence unpracticable during this time of year so that will surely leave a deep hole. I only feel sorry for all of you who are literally making fun and enjoying themselves as if they won the lottery. I wish that you do not go through this but cannot guarantee it at all. Who can ? The answer is nobody as we have just witnessed the greatest mass electoral promise breaking in Maltese history.
I am not a close minded person and have seen some advantages in EU membership but the price I had to pay for some to have what they wanted is higher, right now, than anybody elses (except other hunters and trappers of course). Too bad that the bad things forecasted by various entities are all coming true after being ridiculed by you know who.... My question after seeing all this is, WAS IT ALL WORTH IT !! Don`t ask me now cause you know the answer....
Now that the case is still to come, as this was just a prevention of possible infringement, I will keep on working to try and let the real truth come out and hope justice is justice not premeditated murder.
Expect more Bird Lies now. It will be even worse than ever.....
I am a Maltese hunter and come from a family with strong hunting tradition. Nevertheless it may sound strange to you that since yesterday evening I feel relieved , from the unnecessary tension which we had to go through these last three weeks. I accept the decision of the ECJ (and any future decisions whatever they may be), even though I may not agree with it.
To some extremists here who in their euphoria are thinking about a total ban all year round. Forget it. We still are and shall remain a strong lobby, and this time there will be no Dimas, or other foreign omnipotent being on your side.
To serious conservationists who really have a pulse on what is happening to our natural environment . What about giving up the 'pika' , start thinking of joining efforts and make some talk on serious conservation efforts all year round not just for a few days in Spring?
hmm!!! I wonder what would be the answer.
What do you do with the 400 to 600 turtle doves you kill in one week? Isnt this pure great egoism? Multiply your 600 with 100,000 hunters in Europe. That will make 6 million dead turtle doves a week. Your words not mine. How many turtle doves are there in Europe?
1 derogation down, 76 to go.
Hadn't it been for GONZI this would have happened last year.... but at the time Malta was happy to pay the fine imposed by EU...... who knows why? :)
What Mr. Anthony Formosa is saying is the we were all quite very happy to catch our very small share here. Now we have no choice but to go to say, the UK and do what is LEGAL there
i.e aiming for a red letter day each day (Red letter day means 100 birds in a day) AND YES EVEN IN SPRING!!!!!!
Oh, and by the way. Its not Turtle Doves, its Woodpigeons.
Many thanks EU.
Another thing which comes to my mind is that on spring hunting/trapping wants to dicatate on our country and what about illegal immigration. Or two weights and two measures?
No, just plain and simple. My answer is also a bigger NO if you think that my feelings are construed simply on the Spring hunting issue itself. It is a big no because we are finally becoming aware on the severe loss of our sovereignty. Yes within the EU we comply with common laws geared towards enforcement with a weak nation. And this is exactly how Birdlife Malta have successfully depicted the whole Maltese nation. A subjugated, conformist and submissive nation. Yes we all thank you dear Birdlife Malta for that and so much more.
In this regard we will definitely be showering our thanks on Birdlife Malta on a lot of other issues which we Maltese will be gut-loaded with.
We thank you Birdlife Malta dearly because every time anyone who has not the slightest notion of the Maltese islands and yet types "malta" on a search engine, he gets an endless list of press releases of pompous exaggerations on the desperate bird situation in Malta.
We thank you dearly for the harmful image you have endowed on all Maltese and not just the hunters themselves.
We thank you immensely for nullifying all the efforts to attract more tourists. Forgotten are your relentless efforts in seeking a tourist boycott of Malta in view of the local hunting situation. OH yes silly me, we'll have Bird Watching tourism. They will marvel at the countless numbers of Spanish sparrows which are riddling our agriculture unchecked. And then the government seeks to give these islands a brand image! Whatever!
We will particularly thank you Dearest BirdlifeMalta, when the privately owned land which for the record has thus far been protected by none other than the hunters themselves from the ever encroaching development, ends up for grabs by the most wily amongst our notorious land developers!! We are sure we Maltese city dwellers will then regain our countryside. Aren't we all?
Last but not least we thank you for the numerous birds we will have breeding in our concrete backyards. How long do you really think it will take the general public before the misconceptions are deciphered and the cons of your actions be seen to outweigh your narrow interests?
On a final note I once more thank you for being more European than Maltese can be!
I am not a hunter, nor am I a trapper. I would rather live in a world without hunting, fishing, or breeding of animals for food. I would rather live in a world where humans would not inflict any pain on animals, and where animals and humans lived together in harmony. But I still feel great pain seeing hunters and trappers loosing such an integral part of who they are.
...one other reason why I'm glad I voted yes in the EU referendum !
from this forum, it seems that hunters are now turning to a new type of "blue skies" ..the internet version of it ! hopefully the sun that shines under this sky will enlighten you to the fact that people can live a full life without having to kill other beings !
Unfortunately, in this respect nature deals our hunters a bad deal, since far more birds pass over our islands in spring rather than in autumn, when hunting is far more acceptable from a conservation point of view.
However, as a human being, I cannot but feel for the law abiding hunters who have been treated very badly indeed by the authorities. Spring hunting for these two species WAS promised in black and white before the EU referendum. It is unacceptable for either the government or the eu (I just do not know who is to blame) to dish out promises which are then not kept. Rejoicing at promises not being kept is not in my nature.
As to those who want more and are clamouring for a complete end to hunting, it is pertinent to point out that hunting in itself is no more brutal than catching a fish, snorkelling for an octopus or slaughtering a cow for food. Hunting does not equate with a lack of civilization. Hunting is carried out throughout Europe, with more than 7 million licenced hunters. In fact, in many European countries hunting associations are involved in various conservation initiatives, on their own and with environmental NGOs, even managing Life projects with EU funding.
It is illegal hunting, which is still more widespread than many hunters, even law abiding ones would like to admit that is the common enemy of both law abiding hunters, conservationists, birdwatchers and nature lovers. That, rather than hunting per se should be the focus of any actions taken.
The majority of Maltese are with you 100%.
Spring down, autumn to go!
Given a couple of years, hunting would have ceased in any case because there would have been no birds left to shoot down.
The only difference now is that hunting is finally being stopped, but we've got birds to admire.
To Steve Schembri: so you pretend that our governments bend and kneel in front of you because you are born with spring hunting in your blood. Suppose I tell you that the majority of us Maltese are born with love towards God's creatures and prefer them live not dead and blood? I'd say that you were born with blood on your hands by the brainwashing you got from your parents. The government should respect the majority.. Look towards your left and notice the poll on spring hunting: 60% to 40% in favour og the ECJ decision. Good one Malta and ECJ.
And to mr IVAN CAMILLERI, you're quite right its the START!!!! ANTHONY FORMOSA (San Gwann)
One hopes in vain that the same kind of common sense could have been utilised in the abortion issue.
Official declerations passed out to every paying licenced hunter on spring hunting were issued before every election,these have been overruled by the experts stationed in Luxembourg,so one asks here,in future do you send your political party to get his electoral promises endorsed from an EU official before one decides.
To Birdlife and co,the responsibility of the damage -however small-you are marketing towards the touristic sector is on your shoulders and not mine.The successful salesman shows of his prime property to make a sale,he does not inform you of the other not so nice things associated with the package.Over here it's the tourists that keep the ball rolling and not birds and lies.
As we say in Malta wash your dirty laundry indoors,and I can assure you every country has some.
Are you saying that the UK is uncivilised and STILL living in dark ages??
Do you know that in the UK, Woodpigeon (also a form of dove) is legally shot 365 days a year?
John, This is called bullying!! The smallest country in the EU is being bullied whilst the big guns do what they want: Bull fighting, fox hunting, Spring quail hunting, spring wood pigeon hunting and on and on and on..............
In simple terms this shows that people with these hobbies are only interested in gaining and increasing their collections.
Looking at how the environment works, hunting and trapping create confusion. These birds are a means of transportation of seeds amongst other elements that they bring about. Their migration is needed in order for them to breed and continue increase their living numbers. Hunting is only bringing about extinction.
I am Maltese and proud to be one. Yet am disgusted to look at comments like Ms. Charmaine Micallef wrote. No one can be blamed for this. Not the government, not the EU Court of Justice and till a certain extent, neither the Hunters & Bird Watchers.
I would suggest that a substitute for this hobby is to be found. Since technology is in constant evolution, and showing no sign of extinction, then I would suggest that each hunter will sell his weapons and buy a Virtual Reality gear or a Nintendo Wii where imaginary birds can be shot without even causing any harm to the environment and without even taking the life of such a marvellous creature.
Surely the Govt won't say anything. The EU has been used too many times already as an indirect way of passing new laws, without losing the trust of the electorate, isn't that what politics is about? "He who shall put most icing on the cake shall get the power!!"
we are living in a world of mickey mouse. hope that everyone will open their eyes now.
From my point of view as a family man and hunter I cannot imagine myself living without this season which we(Hunters) all wait for from year to year.
Steve Rabat
The Maltese government defended spring hunting on only Turtle Dove & Quail; that means that the same government wanted to open the season. no?
The EU says NO and the government puts its head down.
An so I ask.........HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THAT WE ARE STILL A SOVREIGN NATION???
Our way of life is being dictated by people thousands of miles from here wether we like it or not!!!!!
The first of a series of such descisions is against legitimate game hunting.....I WONDER WHO AND WHAT IS NEXT?
Kevin
May I suggest clay pigeon shooting now?
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