Call to curb illegal hunting

BirdLife Malta welcomed the Maltese people's choice to bring Malta into the European Union saying this will consolidate European-wide efforts to improve nature protection.

Beyond partisan politics, the election result is undeniable proof that the hunting lobby does not dictate the outcome of Maltese elections, it said.

BirdLife has also called on the new government to take serious steps to curb illegal hunting and, particularly, to increase the resources of the police administrative law enforcement unit to clamp down on the indiscriminate bird killing.

In the coming weeks, BirdLife said it will also continue its contacts with the Malta Labour Party to seek clarification regarding "further MLP promises to hunters" communicated by the hunters' federation in a leaflet sent to its members a few days before the election.

The society said it will continue working to put a stop to hunting and trapping in spring and for a ban on hunting at sea.