The recent illegal killing of protected birds of prey can only be termed as an abomination committed by a small number of persons who care no less for the law, legal hunting or the public’s perception of hunting.
Though not indicative of the alleged rampant abuse by the 10,000 licensed hunters, the sporadic occurrence of such crimes, notwithstanding the harshest penalties in Europe, definitely proves that, so far, the court’s sentencing or the current penalties are not a determining deterrent. The imminent introduction of harsher penalties, if coupled with
appropriate court sentencing, is a step in the right direction that should deter similar incidents from reoccurring.
Though imprisonment and hefty fines related to serious bird crime dwarf those intended for other crimes, in no uncertain terms the court should apply these penalties without reprieve to those found guilty of serious bird crime in order to send a clear message to the few that persist in persecuting protected birds.
Unfortunately, the ignorant behaviour of a few defaulters serves to tarnish all Malta’s hunters, even more so when the bird protection lobby capitalises on this point.
Years of government inaction to curb abuse certainly cannot alter a mentality in a few years. However, ever since hunting became a matter governed by EU regulations, undoubtedly the absolute majority of Malta’s hunters have realised their responsibilities as anyone admitting to reality will confirm. Rampant abuse is a thing of the past that now only exists in the anti-hunters’ vocabulary.
Enforcement is not only adequate but by far exceeds any other EU State’s efforts.
Having the harshest penalties and the highest percentage of enforcement officers throughout the EU should definitely be sufficient to curb abuse and to apprehend any defaulter.
In comparison with the rate of crime in other EU states, Malta’s
commitment to eradicate bird crime is to be commended.
Law abiding hunters see such commitment from the Government as a long-awaited step in the right direction; yet, the bird protection lobby fails to admit to a substantial improvement and is only interested in exposing and amplifying the extent of abuse for their own benefit.
Clearly, such deplorable incidents do considerable harm to the law-abiding hunting community and serve no purpose other than to add to the current public frenzy against hunting instigated by those bodies that oppose hunting. Law-abiding hunters welcome the introduction and implementation of harsher penalties and without reservation pledge their support to the forces of law. It is in their interest to eradicate this dying unruly element that should have never been in possession of a hunting licence in the first place.