Birdlife slams decision to return confiscated hunting guns
A decision by the authorities to return shot guns confiscated by the police from hunters was shot down by Birdlife, which accused government of succumbing to pressure from the hunting federation.
The guns were confiscated by police after hunters failed to produce the necessary documentation upon request.
The spring hunting season started last Wednesday and is expected to continue until the end of the month.
The police action was deemed to be draconian by the hunting federation, which claimed that in the past hunters were always given 48 hours to produce their documentation.
The federation lobbied the Prime Minister and the Police Commissioner on the matter and yesterday the shot guns were returned with a stern warning.
Bird conservation group Birdlife expressed displeasure at the decision.
“The decision... throws into question the government’s commitment to strictly enforce this year’s spring hunting season,” Geoffrey Saliba, Birdlife campaigns coordinator said in a statement yesterday.
He accused the Prime Minister of caving in to the demands of the hunting federation and insisted government was obliged to ensure strict conditions of enforcement as a basic requirement of the derogation to hunt in spring.
“This latest decision by the government not only undermines police efforts at enforcement but also jeopardises the strict supervision test required as part of the spring hunting derogation,” Mr Saliba said.
Birdlife insists that no derogations should be permitted for spring hunting of species that have unfavourable conservation status such as quails and turtle doves.
Under this year’s derogation hunters can shoot a maximum of 9,000 turtle doves and 2,500 quails and the season should close before April 30 if the bag limits are reached.
Hunters also have individual bag limits: they can shoot up to one bird a day and a maximum of four in the whole season.
Some 5,600 hunters applied for the special spring hunting licence.
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Edwin John Matthews
Apr 17th 2011, 18:30
@ Chris Xuereb
I think that the accountants are too busy working out the funding received by Birdlife. The hunters foot their own bills.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Apr 17th 2011, 17:28
Mr Chris Xuereb.
You have got your facts wrong. The accountants are sobbing & begging to put an end to spring hunting which for years they have fooled all in believing was illegal.
Hunters do not need to be led by accountants since they have very little funds to manage and distribute without being noticed.
Mr Chris Xuereb
Apr 17th 2011, 13:06
So now that the accountants went sobbing & begging to the Prime Minister to get their toys back,
will they vote for him?
Mr Johnny Xerri
Apr 17th 2011, 18:11
Well at lest when one sobs for a genuine cause he get rewarded...as thngs stand BLM sobbed to the gov not to open sing hunting...and sobbed to the EU Commission not to agree to the legislation framework....
However, both the gov & the EU Commission took no notice of their sobs....
:( its illegal
:( its illegal
:( its illegal
:P its open an perfectly legal... :) :) :)
By the way...BL needs some serious accountants since I have requested many a timeor them to show the public their accounts so that people can see how much goes to consevation projects and how much goes to wages and salaries....their silence either shows that they are not ready to reveal their wages they do not have proper accounts...
So I ask again...do you have accounts...are you in a position to show your wages and salaries or ar you too ashamed to show your wage...in case people realise tht you are after the wage and not after conservation
No need to hurry...I cannot analyse accounts, as at the moment I'm too busy hunting (From dawn till 3pm)then fishing, a liitle time on timesofmalta....resting and repeat the next day....see ya during the closed season...hope that by then we will have a clue on your wages (they will not really tell us :) )
Stefan Micallef
Apr 17th 2011, 12:57
Birdlife's real face:Bird lovers?NOT,Hunter haters?YES
Mr mario salnitro
Apr 17th 2011, 11:18
WELL DONE BIRDLIFE YOU ARE SHOWING YOUR TRUE FACE .
Mr Anthony Formosa
Apr 17th 2011, 11:14
Enforcement of the law must be equal to everyone with the same scale. The authorities should also consider the confiscation of photography equipment of any BLM and CABS member when they are found in private property or handling protect birds without authorization.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Apr 17th 2011, 09:42
Birdlife can rest assured no amount of pressure will force the police or Government to succumb to anyone's requests, if such request were not justified.
Considering the amount of pressure Birdlife exerted on Government not to open the spring season is a case in point that proves government does not succumb to nonsense.
According to Geoffrey Saliba "This latest decision by the government not only undermines police efforts at enforcement but also jeopardises the strict supervision test required as part of the spring hunting derogation," Sure Mr. Saliba strict supervision according to you includes carrying a ball pen at all times when hunting on forfeit of losing your license.
With this sort of attitude you really have dug a deep grave in terms of credibility. As for Birdlife's own conservation status, you are verging on the extinct thanks to your ludicrous reasoning.