The hunters' federation insisted today that it did not agree with the government on the limited spring hunting season due to open later this month, or the conditions imposed on the hunters.

Lino Farrugia, the federation's general secretary and Joe Perici Calsascione, president, told a press conference this morning that they had been led to believe by the government that the season would be longer, but that did not happen.

They insisted that the season should have been open for a month from April 7.

The officials hit out at the special fee of €50 for eligibility to hunt in Spring, insisting this amounted to a double fee since hunters already paid their licences. They said the federation had insisted that this fee should be reviewed but no progress was made. 

Some 5,600 hunters applied for spring hunting last year and that number was already exceeded  in the first two days of registration last week.

Furthermore, they said, hunters should have been allowed to hunt on Sundays. Many of them worked during the week and could not take leave, they said. 

The two officials said they were urging hunters to observe the law and said they would not tolerate any law-breaking. The hunters, they said, should obey police orders. They said the federation is protesting over the actions of foreigners, such as CABS who came to Malta to police the hunters.

Mr Farrugia and Mr Perici Calascione insisted that on the strength of scientific and mathematical studies they had presented, the government should have been able to benefit from the full derogation allowed under EU law, and hunters should not, therefore, be denied their rights.

Under the conditions of the open season, the hunters may catch a total of 11,000 turtle doves and 5,000 quails between April 12 and April 30, both days included. Hunters individually may not catch more than four birds in the whole season and the catch has to be reported to Mepa.

The FKNK officials said their concerns were motivated solely by the rights being denied to hunters and this was not an issue that was politically motivated, although the hunters remembered the promises that were made to them. They said they would also continue to insist on the restoration of rights for trappers.

See also

BirdLife reveals FKNK 'instructions' to hunters.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120407/local/birdlife-reveals-fknk-instructions-to-hunters.414462

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