Further protests and demonstrations by Maltese hunters could ensue if the government fails to announce 2007’s trapping seasons by next Thursday, reported the Times of Malta.
Speaking on Thursday, Federation for Hunting and Conservation secretary Lino Farrugia stated that he hoped that the alliance would be able to celebrate next week when the announcement of the opening of the spring
seasons is made, adding that if need be the group will organize fresh protests.
In turn, the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment with reference to declarations expressed lately on Spring hunting and conservation said that discussions are held within the ORNIS Committee. The Ministry said it is expecting hunters’ representatives to attend the Committee meetings to put forward their arguments. The ORNIS Committee is expected to meet in the last week of February.
According to The Times of
Malta the secretary also reminded that besides the trapping season announcement, the government could also open a short sea hunting season in March as suggested by the federation.
Mr. Farrugia highlighted that since hunters and trappers are unsure of where they stand with regards to their hobby, they are feeling unsure and insecure. He added that the government cannot carry on treating hunters and trappers in the way it has so far.
In Malta there are approximately 16,000 licensed hunters and trappers.
In the recent months the issue of hunting has become particularly controversial in Malta. In December more than a thousand hunters and trappers marched peacefully from St. Dominic Church in Rabat to the Domus Romana to protest against the new hunting law changes. The hunters asked for Maltese regulations to allow them all possible rights under the EU directive on hunting.
Earlier on in the year Birdlife Malta filed a judicial protest against Minister for Environment and Rural Affairs George Pullicino, Environment Director of Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) Martin Seychell, and Commissioner of Police Mr. John Rizzo.
The protest was filed in the light of a recent memo sent to officers in the Administrative Law Enforcement Unit to refrain until further notice, from pressing charges against hunters caught breaking the law.
