Green light for spring hunting season (1)

BirdLife Malta is circulating a petition around the Maltese population and all the international birding organisations aimed at putting pressure on Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

Part of this petition demands that all hunting legislation is fully enforced. I am quite sure Dr Gonzi does not need to be petitioned about respecting any legislation and suggesting he should through an international petition can only be termed a cheap publicity stunt at best and a pointless vulgarity at worst.

However, BirdLife Malta has more in mind than just that. Included in their petition is the banning of what they term "the unsustainable practice of spring hunting".

The fact that it is sustainable has been confirmed by the European Court of Justice's irreversible judgment. Considering all parameters stated in the Birds Directive relating to breeding and hunting seasons, the court unequivocally states that due to Malta's "specific circumstances, hunting for quails and turtle doves during the autumn hunting season cannot be regarded as constituting, in Malta, another satisfactory solution, so that the condition that there be no other satisfactory solution, laid down in Article 9 (1) of the Directive (that permits spring hunting), should, in principle, be considered met. "BirdLife acknowledges this parameter by its own words: "The derogation also requires that there be no other satisfactory solution."

To emphasise the alleged unsustainability of spring hunting, BirdLife also tried influencing all by stating that the two species hunted in spring are endangered. The court put an end to this untruth by stating in no uncertain way: "It is apparent, in particular, from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species that the species in question are listed in the 'least concern' category." Ironically, the very same IUCN Red List compiled by BirdLife International!

Failing to secure any legal recourse in order to stop Dr Gonzi from exercising his acknowledged right to derogate for spring hunting, BirdLife has again resorted to its usual pressure tactics, scaremongering and mudslinging. Yet all the misinformation does not reverse the fact that Malta has been given the green light for the opening of the spring hunting season within the limitations imposed by the Birds Directive - by none other than the highest EU institution. And this verdict is final and irrevocable.

I urge Dr Gonzi not to give in to this latest BirdLife charade, following all the guarantees issued by the PN and even more so when the ECJ has clearly confirmed such guarantees as genuine. Rather, I expect Dr Gonzi to honour all his party's promises and commitments, and to announce the opening of the spring hunting season without further delay.