Poachers 'making most of the season'

M. Cardona

Apr 22nd 2009, 10:17

#2

I condemn shooting of endangered birds, this is environmentally detrimental and I as a hunter consider that it is counter-productive. My issue is the muddling of the two issues. Being sensational about these incidents serves the agenda which seeks to prove that in Malta it is difficult to control the illegal taking of protected birds and thus arrive to the blocking of a plausible derogation for spring hunting of turtle doves and quail within the local peculiarities and limiitations.

This Mr Saliba is why I do not consider this as effective conservation. Hunters and birdwatchers, environmentalists have a lot in common- nature conservation. You seek to conserve to watch, we seek to conserve to be able to harvest tomorrow!

Muddling the two distinctive issues together is building a permanent rift when effectively we should be working hand in hand. I concur that shooting of protected species must stop. Getting there does not necessarily have to mean mean putting a blindfold to local limitations and peculiar migratory circumstances. This Mr Saliba is my subjective perspective and I stand to be criticised. I am a hunter but first and foremost I am a conservationist!

M. Cardona

Apr 22nd 2009, 10:02

Dear Mr Saliba,

your statement just proves the point I have been trying to raise all along. When someone tries to be sensational about issues he will serve an immediate agenda but unfortunately may not be perceiving or possibly may purposely be overseeing other long term factors.

Birdlife Malta agenda over the past three years has been that of confusing what is poaching of protected birds with what has always been the hunting of game birds within the local limitations and peculiarities. Being sensational about vagrant incidents will serve that agenda.

Thusfar how has Birdlife equated the fact that by eliminating the hunter factor from the local scene (no spring hunting= no hunting) will ultimately definitely result in widespread habitat degradation.

Hunters/trappers currently nourish hundreds of thousands of trees to be able to harvest a meagre bag. Eliminating the reason for this long term investment, many trees will definitely be replaced for agricultural purposes. Other trees will fall victim to neglect as without the annual weeding Malta's parched Summers will bring about widespread fires.

Has it yet crossed anybody's blind-folded mind that eliminating the hunter from the local scene will free occupation of further lands for speculative development?

Paul Azzopardi

Apr 22nd 2009, 08:04

To RZC,

Please inform yourself if you want to comment sensibily;

ROMA - Si potrà sparare a ferragosto, quando la città si trasferisce in campagna. A febbraio, mentre i migratori volano verso i luoghi della riproduzione. E poi, di deroga in deroga, i confini della stagione venatoria potrebbero allargarsi erodendo sempre di più il tempo della natura protetta. È la libera caccia versione due. Il primo tentativo del governo di far saltare le regole del gioco mettendo il fucile in mano ai sedicenni e permettendo di sparare a pagamento anche con il buio e sulla neve non ha avuto un buon indice di gradimento ed è rimasto prudentemente parcheggiato in Senato. Adesso il blitz si ripete alla Camera con maggiore accortezza: questa mattina si discute in commissione Agricoltura un testo in cui, camuffata sotto formule ambigue, si offre la possibilità di ampliare la stagione venatoria oltre i confini attuali che vanno dal primo settembre al 31 gennaio.

http://www.repubblica.it/2009/03/sezioni/ambiente/caccia-libera/liberi-tutti/liberi-tutti.html

Robert Nock

Apr 22nd 2009, 01:03

I am a Brit who has lived in Malta for the past 4 years.

Iam a supporter of Birdlife Malta but have no objections to legal hunting in Malta as I have many hunting friends.

The problem appears to be twofold

(1) Illegal hunting (poaching) is rife in Malta as it is in the rest of Europe but the legal hunters do themselves no favours by not co-operating with the autorities to curtail the practice.

(2) Birdlife Malta does itself no favours by lumping all hunters into the same bag.

The problem with spring hunting is a problem with government. Under the EU regulations any country can apply for a deragation from the EU Birds Directive. It is my understanding that the government has not done so.

Can the persons who regularly comment in this column stop trying to score points off each other and come together to try to resolve their problems.

Bob Nock

Tim Ripard

Apr 21st 2009, 23:32

the plain truth is that both Birdlife and about 80% of hunters are unreasoning fanatics. I'm perfectly content to let bird-shooters shoot at quail and turtle doves but 80% of them will shoot at almost anything that flies.

r sammut

Apr 21st 2009, 23:10

Oh come on birdie people, when are you going to regale us some real action of large flocks of birds? The general public is itching see a few of the millions that migrate on this route. Not just the usual moan about poaching and their sensational deeds!

If one has to talk sensational other things should make first place of preference, just to mention: syringes scattered around playgrounds/schools, kids drinking out late, armed hold ups and more. Things that do keep the police force on their toes!

Instead of directing your cameras skywards, you seem to be obsessed of paparazzing!

Andrew Gatt

Apr 21st 2009, 21:09

@ J Borg, I am at home, obeying the laws in spite of having been promised exactly the opposite, while poachers are out there. ARMED poachers. Are you seriously expecting me, Mark, David and thousands of others to start policing the countryside you so vociferously have "reclaimed"? Hallina trid!!! I respect the law and pay my taxes, for the said laws to be enforced freely and without favour by the authorities. That's the Government, the Police and the Armed Forces. Not foreign nosey parkers. Not a bunch of abolitionists. Not a load of extremists. Much less your impractical, highly insensitive and downright idiotic suggestions.


Since the authorities are underfunded or unwilling or unable to get this by-now-boringly repetitive situation sorted, (or all three!) then you should be knocking on their doors, not ours.

J. Borg

Apr 21st 2009, 20:59

@ A. Formosa

let's repeat again

Condemning is not enough - take effective action (organise watches and help identify these criminals yourselves)

One does not enjoy the countryside with a shotgun (i.e. killing birds & showering lead)

Hunting on your land - affects the safety and peace of others staying adjacent to your property.

Moreover if you are so obsessed about property - I suggest you breed and shoot your own birds.

Sylvana Zarb Darmanin

Apr 21st 2009, 20:13

Mr Geoffrey Saliba, if what BirdLife are claiming is true (i.e. that there has been an increase in the number of shot birds) then this is proof enough that what the anti-hunting lobby have been persistently campaigning for, namely that hunting should be banned is not a solution to stop illegal hunting! This has only served to punish law-abiding hunters from enjoying their Spring Hunting Season for turtle-doves and quails!

As has been commented on previous occasions by Mr Mark Mifsud Bonnici, the hunting associations had presented proposals to Government regarding curbing of illegal hunting which proposals have been said to be ignored. Were these proposals to be considered by Government, along with having the law-abiding hunters in the countryside, I am sure that the situation would have been much better!

Unfortunately, BirdLife's only motive is that of abolishing hunting and not curbing illegal hunting!!!

J. Borg

Apr 21st 2009, 17:03

@ Borg Cardona

Why don't you show some initiative to protect your so-called 'hobby' and round up these criminals yourself - you should surely have an interest to stem out such illegalities.

Condemning is not enough - direct action is what is needed.

Trying to find fault with BirdLife's initiative is self-defeating for your "cause".

lgalea

Apr 21st 2009, 17:02

Anthony Formosa
Great link that shows the hypocrisy of the european self-appointed police trying to interfere i our internal affairs. SHAME on them and on their country.

Geoffrey Saliba
You and your organization should be ashamed of mudslinging against and vilifying your own country in your insensible crusade against the trappers and hunters and bringing foreigners here when they would do better to look at what happens in their own country. Have a look at http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?p=1888946 to see what those whom you bring here do in their own countries.

Anthony Formosa

Apr 21st 2009, 16:53

@ J.Borg, nobody ever claimed that there's no poaching (Illegal hunting) in Malta, and we always condemn such acts, but what I don't accept is that because someone else illegality my reputation as one of the law abiding hunter is tarnished because of such sensationalism from BLM & Co: Just tell me, where there are no illegalities around us and why we're treated differently? Why the season was not open when it was written and guaranteed so.

The dedicated persons you mentioned, they have an agenda, if they really wants to protect birds, they go to places where its really a migratory route, and difficult to detect, over here with a small binoculars you'll observe all island.

For you I don't think that human tragedies will bring more sensationalism, than a dead bird. What is your problem if I enjoy the countryside by carrying a gun? especially if it my own private property. The public can enjoy what is public but not privately owned.

Your Danish dedicated persons could have avoided such massacre that coming here over a bird. http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?p=1888946

@ Ramon Casha, What makes you anti hunting and pro abortion?

Richard Cachia Zammit

Apr 21st 2009, 16:44

@J Farrugia

LOL, so according to you "La stagione verra' ampliata dal primo settembre al 31 gennaio" means ALL YEAR ROUND????? It means that the hunting season will be from 1st September to end of January....just like it is here in Malta. Please if one has to comment, do it sensibly.

David Borg Cardona

Apr 21st 2009, 16:38

@ Geoffrey Saliba..

Publicly , via this paper, can you REALLY prove to us that the number of shots you heard do not come from the shooting ranges we have in Bidnija, Qormi , Hal Far and Maghtab. all places where you and your foreign bird watchers go bird watching !! It would be interesting to hear the answer. Do your continental buddies know the difference. Because a gunshot from a trap range and a gunshot in the countryside is and will always remain a gunshot... same noise,same decibels.

Nobody has ever asked you to hid any illegalities you witness and as a hunter I fully condemn poaching but what we do ask you is to avoid the usual over inflated figures and dubious photos which year after year you have never proven even when asked publicly to do so. One small example.. the black kite with the dangling leg you published.. Can any of you down at Abate Rigord street prove that it was taken in Malta ?? Just to remind you. years ago you published a photo of a Griffon Vulture allegedly shot down in Malta. The picture was taken from the Book of Britain & Europe !!!

Geoffrey Saliba

Apr 21st 2009, 14:38

Mr/Mrs Cardona,
If you bothered to read the article or our original press release, comparison is drawn between the number of shot protected birds received this year since the beginning of March (17 to date) and the number received last year during the same period (4) and yes there has been a significant increase in shot protected birds received.
Regarding ranges - firing on shooting ranges can be discerned from shots fired during hunting, as anybody who is familiar with shooting will confirm.
Regarding sensationalism - revealing exactly what is happening can hardly be called sensational. Would you rather we hid the illegalities we witness?

Check your facts before commenting.
Geoffrey Saliba
BirdLife Malta Campaigns Coordinator

J Farrugia

Apr 21st 2009, 14:14

I think we have had enough foreign interference in our internal matter as regards hunting. I do not know of any mlatese journalist going to Denmark or germany or italy or wherever, and requesting the goivernment to implent what we the Maltese people want, that is legislation against divorce, abortions killing of babies and other obscenities. We have every right to do this. But we dont interfere in other countries' internal matters. So why are we accepting this kind of interference from foreigners? They are obstructing our road to economic recovery by inciting tourist not to come to Malta because of what they view as Malta's bad reputation, which is off course a big lie. This bad reputation is coming from Birdlife and other Maltese living abroad. In Italy they are going to make changes in their laws so that hunting will be all year round. You've heard it: ALL YEAR ROUND - La stagione verra' ampliata dal primo settembre al 31 gennaio. How about going to Italy and protest over there, instead of coming here where you know that we are a democratic island? Being small has its setbacks but we are proud to be Maltese.

J. Borg

Apr 21st 2009, 13:54

First it was claimed that there is no illegal hunting in Malta
Then that photos of shot protected birds, were just carcasses out of the freezer
Now we have live footage - gathered by dedicated persons who put themselves in the line of fire (surely they are not enjoying a 'delizzju' or 'hobby').

and all FKNK and its stalwarts have to say is "condemn any illegal hunting".

What is the FKNK doing to eradicate such abuses? Why is it so passive?

And please don't come with the physical/moral "tragedies" that hunters are suffering....they can enjoy the countryside more than they did in previous years (bar the shooting) and at the same time "let" the public enjoy the same countryside peacefully and safely.

S. Camilleri

Apr 21st 2009, 13:00

So we now have "terrible tragedies as a direct consequence of the huntic ban"... Unbeleivable!!!! How can Mr Calascione be so PATHETIC. I would suggest they form an organisation like Hunters Anonymous.
If he wants to be taken seriously and make himself and the law abiding hunters a favour, he can collaborate with police to identify these individuals who are often well known within the hunting community.

Paul Barrett

Apr 21st 2009, 12:37

@ M. Cardona
You may be confusing Apples with Oranges. Shots fired and Birds shot do not always equate - thus BirdLife statement that they had received more shot birds this year than they did last.
Perhaps the poachers are becoming more proficient shots but less proficient at recovering the wounded/killed bird - thus more birds found/handed to BirdLife.

As for confusing range shooting with poaching - With range shots they tend to be double tap consistently from the same area where as with the poacher you get a three to five shot blast.

Anthony Formosa

Apr 21st 2009, 12:21

Definitely the person is following the promises and guarantees that he received from the Prim Minister. There are many questions behind BLM statements, first how do they always reach the dead bird before the poacher himself? What methodology they use to count the shots? for instance if a shot is fired in Rabat, it will be heard from 10 more localities.

@ Tarcisio Abela; among the foreigners there are from Denmark to scrutinise us, you want to see who is barbaric? have a look. http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?p=1888946
and then tell me that two wrongs don't make a right.

lgalea

Apr 21st 2009, 12:13

I am not a hunter or trapper, but these foreigners should stick to their own countries and do their job there and stop picking on tiny Malta. They would have more than enough on their hands to keep them busy all the year round, but I guess they are chickens in their own countries and try to bully us because we are small.

jj Camilleri

Apr 21st 2009, 12:04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbRcOehfX4U

guns should be kept locked up at police station

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Apr 21st 2009, 11:55

I fully concur with Mr. Cardona.

With this attitude you expect to have the cooperation of law abiding hunters. Next in line will be CABS with all their abolitionist ideals and your tacit support

Indeed Birdlfie Malta hope you enjoy your hiding in bushes.

By the way don't forget to observe birds, as I believe this is what your spring camp is all about.

Whilst you're at it please inform us of the number of turtle doves and quail you've recorded. Should the number be so great that you might run out of ink or paper. I will be happy to provide you with free ball pens and note pads.

Sylvana Zarb Darmanin

Apr 21st 2009, 11:52

BirdLife’s sensationalism at its best!!!!!

“shooting birds while they were asleep at night”!!! This is ridiculous – as ridiculous as (an incident I have heard about) CABS/BirdLife’s recent report to the Police alleging that a young farmer was carrying a shotgun when in fact he was working in his fields and was carrying a plough over his shoulder!!!!!

It is true Mr J Perici Calascione, the media has become party to BirdLife’s deceitful campaign. The recent terrible tragedies should be borne by all those who have become insensitive to the feelings of others!

Instead of blowing out of proportion the illegal acts of the very few, readers should be informed of the vast majority of law-abiding hunters who are being unjustly forced to stay at home as they are being deprived of enjoying their traditional pastime of Spring Hunting for turtle-doves and quails. The mental state these law-abiding citizens (and their hunting dogs) are in should indeed be brought to the attention of readers. If, on the other hand, these decide to go out in the countryside, they are spied upon and recorded on video by foreigners – something which I believe is in contravention of the Data Protection Act.

Richard Cachia Zammit

Apr 21st 2009, 11:19

@M. Cardona

Quoting what you quoted "There has been a significant increase in the number of shot birds compared to last year". The increase refered to is in the number of SHOT BIRDS whilst you are comparing it to the number of shots counted, two totally different things, so please how about YOU respecting our intelligence?

You know what is sensational....two man with a gun with their faces covered up running about in our countryside, that is sensational. It shows clearly how these irresponsible persons don't care about the law, about the environment and NOT EVEN ABOUT THEIR FELLOW LAW ABIDING HUNTERS and yet you are trying to be apologetic about the whole thing.

S Risso

Apr 21st 2009, 10:59

The photo reminds me of the famous elusive Yetti (Abominable Snowman) footage running away from the camera in America. Birdlife and the police actually captured this one so forensics was not needed to establish if this footage or the hunter was real or not. I wonder if they could offer their services in America so they could establish if the Yetti is real or not???? :-)
Have a nice Day Folks - -You Naughty Illeagal Hunters, you probably never had so much jogging exercise in your life, it is good to exercise!!!!

Jason Borg

Apr 21st 2009, 10:58

@M. Cardona - why are you defending the poachers? The evidence is so clear that it is impossible to ignore.

Ramon Casha

Apr 21st 2009, 10:45

@M Cardona: If you are one of the law-abiding hunters or support them, then you should rejoice and congratulate BirdLife for helping to apprehend the criminals who tarnish the name of law-abiding hunters. There should be no reason for law-abiding hunters to raise any objections.

Joe Camilleri

Apr 21st 2009, 10:41

Always the same staments from birdlife, eco-tourism, main migration route, damaging our reputation.
As proved by serious birdwatchers, Malta is not in the main migration route, if it was we will not just see a couple of selfproclamed birdwatchers roaming here and there. Also as for damaging our reputation, it is again birdlfe Malta which is doing this, anybody remembers the banner in the football match between Malta and Hungary http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090413/letters/unjust-banner-at-malta-hungary-match
And for Eco-tourism, tell it to the marines

M. Cardona

Apr 21st 2009, 10:22

Sensational isn't it.

What's even more sensational is the thwarting of facts and figures as the situation dictates.

Here's some real facts "for those short of memory"

André Raine, BirdLife Malta’s Conservation Manager and Spring Watch Camp Coordinator
as reported by the Times of Malta on Tuesday, 15th April 2008 - 13:31CET

“So far over the last two days our teams in different locations have counted more than 1,050 shots. Delimara was a particularly bad area, with 486 shots counted over a four hour period on Monday morning alone.”

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080415/local/birdlife-complains-of-mayhem-and-anarchy-in-the-maltese-countryside

One year later, "BirdLife said more than 950 shots were recorded by its team in the past nine days." and yet even though it doesn't need a fancy mathematician, to do the plus and minus Birdlife Malta comes up with,

""There has been a significant increase in the number of shot birds compared to last year."

On a separate note, how does Birdlife Malta discern between shots heard at a distance -clay and other shooting ranges VS shots at birds?

Birdlife Malta- Sensationalism will serve your agenda but will
NEVER result in effective conservation. And please respect people's intelligence.

Tarcisio Abela

Apr 21st 2009, 10:16

Mr Perici Calascione these are not tactics or allegations. It seems this is about crude footage.
It would have been really great if we missed out of the EU just because of your barbaric delizzju!