Save a bird or a human life?

In the article entitled Dial 119 To Ensure Safety At Sea (July 23), David Bugeja, the Malta Maritime Authority's deputy harbour master, was quoted as saying that "in the past, the same police officers who patrolled the shores for contraventions were also responsible ‒ and giving priority ‒ to combat illegal hunting at sea". Such a statement is, to say the least, ridiculous.

The hunting season at sea ends in February and does not coincide with the swimming season.

"Giving priority to combat illegal hunting at sea" only goes to show that our pathetically limited available resources - "two teams of two or three persons" - are directed to give more importance to illegal shooting than to the risk to human life.

Personally, I spend most of my summers in Marsalforn. The swimmers' zone is constantly breached by boats and jet skis at all times of day. Over 20 boats are permanently moored within the swimmers' zone. Apart from dumping all sorts of garbage into the sea (excrement included), the weekend boat people allow their kids full use of their boat tender (at full throttle to train for their future boat licence). All these illegalities happen in front of the local police station that has full view of the beach and, yet, the police are powerless in controlling this daily chaos.

How can Capt. Bugeja seriously consider enforcement of regulations that stipulate a distance of "200 metres from a rocky shore and 300 metres from a sandy beach"? Applying these distances to Marsalforn and most beaches would in reality mean they should all be boat free.

It is pointless having regulations knowing they are totally unenforceable. It is ridiculous to state that "irrespective of enforcement, it boils down to education and the individual" when human life is at stake, since it is mainly the uneducated that pose a problem and Capt. Bugeja's suggestions will not change their ways.

Suggesting the public call 119 is a futile attempt to control abuse and seems to be more of a formality than a solution. As Capt. Bugeja states: "Whether immediate action can be taken is another matter, though. The set-up is there: the report is relayed to the police Administrative Law Enforcement unit and the teams at sea are informed". This existing set-up clearly indicates that, by the time the enforcers act, the offender has probably reached retirement age!

If indeed the MMA is serious about controlling these abuses, the public, the police and wardens should be involved. All boats have a registration number. It would be quite simple to photograph offenders with a mobile and MMS it to 119 so that the police and wardens could issue a ticket to offenders. Or better still for cameras to be installed at all popular beaches to monitor abuse.

The motorist is controlled in this manner, so, why not the boating people?

Capt. Bugeja states that boating people "are often unwinding after a hard week's work and alcohol inevitably comes into play. The entertainment element of boating is predominant and dangerous".

Unfortunately for all swimmers the will to tackle this danger to our lives is more than lacking. The authorities seem to give more priority to controlling illegal hunting!