Illegal hunting 'endangers' EU concessions

Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino warned bird hunters yesterday that illegal hunting would endanger the concessions on hunting which the EU had granted Malta after difficult talks.

He said in parliament during an adjournment speech that the government was clamping down on the illegal hunting of protected birds for two reasons - to protect the birds and to safeguard what Malta had achieved in the accession negotiations.

All those who liked to hunt should be the first to realise this and act to stop violation of hunting regulations. Law enforcement was not being made to kill off hunting, as some were claiming.

Mr Pullicno said clear and determined efforts against illegal hunting were made in the past two months, particularly but not solely in Gozo. There was close coordination between the Police and the AFM and results were being achieved. The Administrative Law Enforcement section had been strengthened and there were now 30 policemen in Malta and 10 in Gozo who were tasked with controlling illegal hunting. They were supported by other units when necessary because it was the duty of all policemen to stop illegal hunting.

There had been a drastic drop in abuses near bird sanctuaries, where patrols were sometimes held from dawn to dusk. Patrols had been stepped up on land and at sea. Some 125 cases would come up before the Maltese courts shortly, as well as 18 in Gozo. Twenty-two shotguns in Malta and nine in Gozo had been seized following illegal hunting.

He was confident, Mr Pullicino said, that such enforcement was being appreciated by those who agreed that hunting should be controlled, including ornithologists. Indeed, it was clear that the majority of hunters wanted to respect the law.

His appeal to hunters and bird lovers was to be objective in their remarks. There should also be more general appreciation of the work of the ALE, and he particularly welcomed a news report in The Times on the unit's activities.

Mr Pullicino said that hunters who persisted in breaking the law were shooting themselves in the foot. They were the hunters' worst enemy, and hunting associations should help the police to ensure that hunting was always practised within the boundaries of the law.

Mr Pullicno said he could not say he was personally pro hunting, but he appreciated the reality in Malta. Malta had achieved unique concessions on hunting from the EU, and the most serious damage which could now be caused to hunting in Malta was through non-observance of the law.

The forces of law and order were determined to enforce the law and help bring about a culture change to safeguard birds and the hunting concessions, Mr Pullicino said.