Hunter Edwin Vella was this morning fined €1,000 by a court after he was found guilty of carrying a shotgun at the Natura 2000 nature reserve in Ghadira.

He also had his hunting licence suspended for a year and his shotgun was confiscated.

The Natura 2000 reserve.The Natura 2000 reserve.

It was the third such arraignment this week, with another hunter having been fined in excess of €4,000 for hunting in the nature reserve and doing so while he was hooded.

Birdlife yesterday called on the FKNK hunters' federation to suspend Mr Vella, a district official of the federation. The ornithological organisation said the FKNK should otherwise step down from the board monitoring Malta's spring hunting derogation.

The FKNK refused and said disciplinary action against the three hunters would be discussed by its disciplinary board once court proceedings were over.

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