BirdLife Malta yesterday criticised the hunters’ federation for objecting to the government’s ban on hunting after 3 p.m. during the autumn.

The NGO said FKNK had conditionally agreed in a February 2009 Ornis Committee meeting that there would be a 15-day ban on hunting in the afternoon between September 15 and 30.

It added that an afternoon hunting ban was necessary to offer respite to exhausted birds of prey arriving here at that time of year, while on their migratory route to Africa. Andre Raine, BirdLife conservation manager, said: “The FKNK is suggesting the ban in the afternoon is useless because poachers would kill the birds of prey anyway at night or in the morning. Yet, the FKNK ignores the fact that these birds of prey are protected by law, so what the federation should be doing is ensuring their members stay away from these birds.”

He added that FKNK repeatedly talked about its zero tolerance policy towards illegal hunting, however, to this day it had never named and shamed its members who had broken the law.

Last Sunday, FKNK complained the government had bowed to unjust demands BirdLife had imposed when it issued a legal notice last week announcing the forthcoming autumn hunting and trapping seasons.

The government said in a statement released last Friday that after considering the Ornis Committee recommendations, it decided to open hunting on land between September 1 and January 31 from two hours before sunrise to two hours after sunset Mondays to Saturday, and between two hours before sunrise and 1 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays.

Hunting is forbidden after 3 p.m. between September 15 and 30.