Maltese becoming increasingly accepting of hunting - FKNK
Regulation around hunting and wildlife management should be 'based on public opinion', they said
Maltese people are becoming increasingly accepting of hunting, according to data published by the Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FKNK).
In a statement on Friday, the group said that according to a survey conducted by Sagalytics, a company run by statistician Vincent Marmara, public opinion about hunting in Malta has been on the increase since the 2015 spring hunting referendum.
FKNK said that based on the votes cast in the referendum nine years ago, they interpret that some 37.4% of Maltese society "accepting hunting" while 36.7% who voted against as "not accepting" hunting. They count the 25.9% of uncast and invalid votes as "undecided".
However, they say that opinions about hunting have improved significantly since then.
When a Sagalytics survey in June 2023 asked "Do you accept that sustainable hunting is practised in the country in a regulated manner as it is now?", 50.4% of respondents said yes, 33.5% said no, while 16.1% had no opinion.
A similar survey conducted by Sagalytics in 2024, found that when asked the same question, 54.1% said yes, 33.2% said no and 12.6% had no opinion.
The full survey data was not provided with the statement and the sample size has not been disclosed.
FKNK said that the results are encouraging and challenge the narrative of the impact of hunting on wildlife management.
"In light of this evidence, the FKNK urges decision-makers to consider these findings in their policy deliberations," they said.
"It is essential that future regulations and discussions on hunting and wildlife management are based on the realities of public opinion and the principles of sustainable use. These insights will be beneficial for the development of science-based policies."