Recent statements about clashes with hunters, made by a rock climber, could lead to unnecessary confrontation, according to the Malta Climbing Association.

“Hunters and climbers have a relationship of tolerance – hunters allow climbers to climb cliffs on their private land and climbers help them clean up the site,” said the association’s secretary Kenneth Abela, saying that clashes between climbers and hunters were one-offs.

Mr Abela was referring to statements made by Andrew Warrington, President of Malta Rock Climbing Club, during an anti-hunting campaign meeting on Tuesday.

The MCA “categorically” dissociated itself from the comments and “implications raised regarding climbers clashing with hunters, and supposed vandalism of climbing equipment by hunters”.

Mr Warrington’s statements, the association said on Facebook, were his sole opinion and did not represent the views of the rest of the climbing community.

The result of such statements could only lead to vandalism to climbing equipment and unwanted and unnecessary confrontation between climbers and hunters

“The results of such statements could only lead to vandalism to climbing equipment and unwanted and unnecessary confrontation between climbers and hunters,” it said after it was “bombarded” with messages on social media.

Mr Abela explained that over the past decades, climbers had identified specific sites that had a potential for climbing.

Some of these potential climbing sites were private, and some of the owners happened to be hunters. He feared Mr Warrington’s comments could weaken the relationship between the two.

Referring to comments about vandalised climbing bolts, Mr Abela said there was no proof that the perpetrators were hunters.

When contacted, Mr Warrington told the newspaper his statements were not opinion, but he was speaking from experience.

Acknowledging that he was not speaking on behalf of the climbing community, he said during the anti-hunting meeting he had spoken of positive encounters with hunters but also of clashes.

A foreign climber, who is a friend of his, was once physically assaulted when he asked a hunter not to shoot close to where he was climbing, Mr Warrington said, adding that he also has photos of equipment that had been vandalised more than once.

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