Hunters to boycott Ornis Committee over trapping ban

FKNK officials say they will not return to Ornis Committee over refusal to open trapping season.

2 May 2012, 12:00am
by Matthew Vella

1 min read

FKNK secretary-general Lino Farrugia said hunters are not returning to the Ornis Committee.

Hunters' federation FKNK said it will not return to any meetings by the Ornis Committee, the body which issues recommendations to the government on opening the hunting season, because of the refusal by the environment ministry to open the trapping season for golden plover.

"Government's refusal is based on totally illogical and insensible arguments," FKNK secretary-general Lino Farrugia said.

The FKNK is insisting that government has disregarded the Ornis Committee's proposals on opening the spring hunting and trapping season, and specifically inside the Xaghra l-Hamra park.

"Ornis is being asked to rubber-stamp government's legal notice to regulate hunting and trapping in the park as a fait accompli. This piece of legislation is not just unfair and discriminatory towards hunters and trappers, but it could also create a very dangerous precedent for hunting and trapping practices in general," Farrugia said.

Farrugia said the FKNK will not return to the Ornis Committee unless its manipulation by government stops. "As soon as this is apparent, and once the FKNK meets the Prime Minister as he has recently agreed, the FKNK will continue to give its complete support and resources to any discussions and meetings, including those of the Malta Ornis committee, in the best interests of nature conservation and local, legal, sustainable hunting and trapping practices."

Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...

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GonziPN won the 2008 election with the spring hunting close,he will loose the next election despite of the open spring hunting.

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The FKNK is sending a clear message to the political parties what their price is going to be, if they want to win over the hunter’s vote. By signaling it’s disapproval of their handling of the present government and the eternal broken promises ploy, there is a clear sway towards the PL, which is probably the outcome of a ‘secret meeting’ of the FKNK with the vice PL leader and the party secretary. It will be interesting to see the minutes of these meetings and how low the parties are going to stoop while trying to fulfilling such infantile and selfish demands.