One third of those who have ID cards registered on the illegal boathouse villages surrounding Armier are hunters.

Ten are registered as having their primary residence in Armier, according to figures given by the Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretariat.

The Sunday Times of Malta reported that at least 31 people are registered as living in boathouses in Armier, Torri l-Abjad and Ramlet il-Qortin, according to the Electoral Register. The three zones form part of the illegal Armier community in Mellieħa. About 800 boathouses have been built on public land there.

The fake ducks were not seen when police visited

The information was requested after the discovery of a hunting hide on the shores of Armier, a few metres from the illegal boathouses. It was spotted on the water’s edge, near the sandy beach, and was surrounded by fake ducks bobbing in the water that were tied to a pole close by. The ducks are normally used to lure in similar species.

Times of Malta asked the secretariat whether any hunters had their registered primary residence in Armier. “There are about 10 licensed hunters with a registered address in Armier, or limits of Armier,” it replied.

It is illegal to hunt or take birds within 50 metres from beaches but the secretariat would not confirm whether the hide was illegal since it seems the unit responsible for monitoring hunting and trapping activities was not aware of its presence.The unit alerted the police environmental law enforcement unit to investigate. The police informed Times of Malta the hide was more than 50 metres away from the sandy beach to its left. They also said the fake ducks were not seen when they visited.

The secretariat said it had informed the Mellieħa local council and the Government Property Department (the Land Department) of the hide’s presence. The hide is located on public land but the police did not raise the issue. Neither did they say the hide had been removed.