UPDATED: Hunters demand answers from Birdlife
(Adds BirdLife reply)
The hunters' federation said today it would be replying to a letter from the head of the LIFE Unit of the European Commission in order to clarify possible misunderstandings. The unit had asked the federation to remove a video it had produced and posted on its YouTube channel on the EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater project..
The federation said that now that the risk of the truth being disseminated to one and all was becoming a matter of fact and with several of its campaign slogans being shattered by this same truth, Birdlife (Malta) was seeking solace and redress in the arms of the European Commission.
What BirdLife did not reveal to the Commission, however, was a letter on May 26, published in a local daily, where the FKNK and St. Hubert's Hunters had asked Birdlife a series of questions about the Shearwater in Malta, none of which were answered.Furthermore, prior to Malta's EU Membership, the FKNK had agreed that the Yelkouan Shearwater be added to Annex I of the Birds Directive.
"The Federation was also aware that such a classification would eventually entail that a Special Protected Area (SPA) within the Natura 2000 network would be allocated and that this area would be the cliffside of Rdum tal-Madonna in Mellieha, and that no land surface area would be included. Therefore it is obvious that the FKNK had absolutely no problem with this cliffside's management as an SPA and by BirdLife. However, now BirdLife have applied to have the adjoining surface area added to the SPA, which surface area has been managed as a hunting reserve by the FKNK since 1984."
The federation noted that BirdLife (Malta) already possessed huge areas in Mellieha alone (Ghadira Sanctuary, Cliff-side of Rdum tal-Madonna and Foresta 2000), as well as the Simar, "in direct contrast to what had been agreed to by their own officials.
"BirdLife have also 'trespassed' onto part of the land that should form part of the Mizieb hunting reserve.
"The FKNK, therefore, has to make it crystal clear to anyone that it will resist any further unfair intrusions of BirdLife, since their sole aim is to acquire more funds at the FKNK's and Maltese citizens' expense."
The federation said the same amount of shearwaters as there are at present have lived and bred on the same cliffside since time immemorial without anyone's help. The thousands of euros being spent on the rat eradication programme were, in the FKNK's opinion a waste, since the shearwaters and the rats had co-existed for ages. Besides, the highly-toxic rat poison used may well have a disastrous effect on non-targeted species.
In a reply, BirdLife said all the information sought is available on the project website.
It denied 'trespassed' onto part of the land that should form part of the Mizieb hunting reserve, saying part of the land at Mizieb is in fact designated as a Bird sanctuary by the Maltese government .
As for FKNK's rights to use parts of the Rdum tal Madonna, BirdLife said it has not been provided with any form of legal documentation to support FKNK's claims by the Maltese authorities. Indeed, Rdum tal-Madonna area was designated as a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation by the Maltese Government because it is internationally important for Yelkouan Shearwaters as well as other fauna and flora.
BirdLife also pointed out that while FKNK and its members continuously refer to an alleged one million euros given to BirdLife Malta for the Yelkouan project, the project as a whole was awarded the EU grant, not a single organisation. In addition, only half of the budget was given by the EU LIFE Unit. The rest came from the seven project partners and sponsors. The total project budget is €919,733.
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Gilbert Haber
Jul 28th 2008, 09:02
FKNK seems to envy Birdlife Malta for being able to acquire EU funds and undertake a serious project. In fact as BLM progressed, the hunters federation just keep denying and criticising whatever birdlife and other environment NGOs say, same it did years ago....
As regards the so called hunting reserves, why dont the hunters do something to improve the state of these areas (which goes beyond a once a year clean up). Enough to say that the grove at ahrax, that is managed by hunters consists largely of acacia trees - an alien species that is now illegal to plant. With so many members and volunteers whithin FKNK, why dont these start an afforestation project to replace these trees with indegenous ones?
If you want to revert the public opinion, stop yawning and do some proper action towards the Maltese environment.
I.Cilia
Jul 28th 2008, 07:11
I always asked myself, why protect a bird but not a pig, or a cow, or any other animal really...
Is it right to seek protection for a type but exterminate the other... though at first i was highly respectful of the birdlife initiative, i also questioned that these people are protecting the birds at the expense of killing all the rats in the area.... aren't they animals as well and have the right to live... who is meddling with nature????
reminds of erm South Africa really.... extermination of the blacks and the like...
Sometimes i really wonder what is on the agenda of these environmental organisations...
Denis Catania
Jul 27th 2008, 19:00
Due to the damage humans did to this earth, such as over building. That we do need hunting in a lot of parts of the world. I'm not sure if Malta is one of those places. I am not a hunter, and I will never be one. I'm not sure if Birdlife is one of them, but some groups and their employees are over paid, and their motivation is money over the health of the environment. Some animals need to be hunted to keep certain animals from over eaten , and try to keep the earth balance. Since we demolished this earth.
Richard Cachia Zammit
Jul 27th 2008, 18:34
@Tony Caruana
Tony the truth is already out. Haven't you read what the EU Commission had to say about the whole issue? If the FKNK really want us to believe that they are against illegal hunting, it's about time that they stopped wasting time and concentrated on eradicating this common practice just like Birdlife and other environmental organisations are doing.
cliffordjohnwilliams
Jul 27th 2008, 18:25
As the FKNK is so concerned about the Maltese citizen's expenses would they kindly tell us what (and Iv'e asked this question before) it is costing that same citizen to fight their case on spring hunting in the ECJ? And no, Mr Bonnici the Government does NOT have the right to spend OUR money any way it likes- It has the responsibility to spend it wisely on important issues worth fighting for. A nd many of those citizens don't consider your right to kill one of them.
As for Mr Caruana's question,that's a fair one.Perhaps Birdlife and the FKNK would BOTH publish their accounts,including any grants they get from Government or EU sources
While I'm here let me take the opportunity to let anyone interested know that from 9 am to 12 am this morning hunters were busy in Delimara,and yes I did report it,and no it did'nt stop it.But then it did'nt stop it in Spring either.
O Galea
Jul 27th 2008, 17:30
Hunting has surpassed its time. Humanity should go for life and not for death. There is enough turmoil around the world with the human being eradicating his own existence. Life extinction on this planet is not so far away as it is evident that mother Earth is not able to sustain its own survival any longer. Globall warming, pollution, green house effect, forest fires and the lot...including hunting, are all negative contributors. The cycle of life is being disrupted.
And hunting is hastening this momentum. Even if on a small scale, like Malta's case, when compared to what is happening elsewhere. Hightime for FKNK to review their "pass time" and think positive in favour of life.
Wilfrid Buttigieg
Jul 27th 2008, 16:58
Hunters and their Federation - not much of a difference from our Bus Drivers and their Federation....
Jean Paul Galea
Jul 27th 2008, 16:21
Hunter should grow up and start realising that we no longer live in the stone age where people need to kill wild animals to live. With the current decline in all animal species and with the amount of animal species going extinct every day, the hunter if they had good sense would stop hunting on their own. Funding bird/animals which are going extinct is priceless.If all the taxes we pay would go for such a cause would be justified. On the other side hunters all they do is reduce the chances for such animals to survive so they are the cause for which we have to pay a 1,000,000 euros for the conservation of such species.
C Mallia
Jul 27th 2008, 15:07
For the FKNK to make allegations that the shearwater project done by birdlife and the commission was a complete sham as per the youtube video, comes as no surprise, but who would believe them? That the FKNK has an open public agenda to discredit all the good work that Birdlife in conjunction with the commission does to Malta's environment is well known. This video reeks of vengeance and of course they would be the first to claim to know all the truth about anything environmental. Looking forward what they will answer the commission
Richard Cachia Zammit
Jul 27th 2008, 14:35
Quoting from today's Sunday Times, Lino said ""It's our business, I am not answerable to you... the Commission has the right to ask what it wants, but not you." Doesn't that also apply to the FKNK and their series of questions published in their letter on May 26? So with reference to these questions, FKNK just as Lino said, the commission has the right to ask what it want, but not YOU.
tony caruana
Jul 27th 2008, 13:58
The truth will one day come out. Birdlife is all about Money. Big Money !! Can for example Birdlife publish it's accounts ? Can we know the reunumeration of all the foreigners working for them ? Can we know who pays for Dr Raine and Temuge 's appartments ?
Can we know were the payments for their"extra" expenses are coming from ? CAn we know who pays for all their tips abroad ?
kevin francica
Jul 27th 2008, 13:55
http://uk.youtube.com/user/FKNKMalta
Aldo Abela
Jul 27th 2008, 13:24
With these taxpayer's subsidies to Birdlife (euros 1,000,000 for this project only) from the EU and from the Maltese government, Birdlife will soon be able to BUY these lands!