Hunters denounce shooting of protected birds

The hunters' federation yesterday denounced shooting of protected birds but steered clear of condemning those who were defying the spring ban.

"Spring hunting is not illegal. What has been done to us is illegal," spokesman Joe Perici Calascione said, referring to the banning of spring hunting despite what the federation terms as pre-EU membership promises that it would continue.

Commenting about claims by BirdLife that spring hunting was still ongoing, he said there was no proof of that.

"These reports have proved, yet again, that not opening the traditional hunting season has done nothing to stop the few law-breakers who still persist in shooting protected species," the federation said.

The FKNK said it was morally wrong and unfair for the government to ban traditional hunting and trapping because it could not control the few irresponsible law-breakers. As a result of the ban, the thousands of bona fide hunters and trappers were suffering very serious health and mental consequences, a couple of which have already led to "tragedies".

"Instances of mental cases and people on anti-depressants have increased a lot because of the ban," Mr Perici Calascione said.

The federation said the illegal shooting of protected bird species was not hunting and that the federation would expel any of its members who might be convicted of such crimes, as it had done in the past.

The rigid self-regulation and deterrent system it had proposed in 2006 would have been sufficient to eliminate illegal shooting of protected bird species, the federation insisted. BirdLife said in reaction that spring hunting was banned because shooting wild birds before they had a chance to breed was considered unsustainable by the EU and not because of illegal shooting of protected species.

Meanwhile, the hunters' federation also said vandals had damaged a structure that housed clay throwing machines for clay pigeon shooting at Miżieb. The damage was caused over the weekend and a report was lodged with the police.

The Miżieb hunting reserve, which had been managed by the FKNK since 1986, was not enclosed and when the hunting season was closed the area was open to the public for picnics and barbeques, the federation said.

The federation had previously reported vandalism on trees and littering.

cperegin@timesofmalta.com