St Hubert Hunters disassociate themselves from Mellieha poachers

The St Hubert Hunters have disassociated themselves from a hunter, Christian Gauci, 27 of Mellieha, who was charged of poaching in the Mellieha nature reserve.

Gauci was fined €4,658, banned from hunting for three years, and also had his gun confiscated by the Magistrates' Court.

"This poacher is not, and has never been, a KSU member. We highly applaud the court's judgment," KSU president Mark Mifsud Bonnici said.

"We augur that in the case of serious hunting-related offences, in particular the violation of bird sanctuaries and the shooting of rare protected birds, the Maltese courts will not hesitate to deliver necessarily harsh sentences.

"Where hardcore, inveterate law-breakers are concerned, the KSU is all in favour of the revocation for life of the hunting licences of such relapsers.  We strongly condemn these few dozen totally egoistic law-breakers who persist in ignoring our pleas for sustainable hunting within the law, and do their best to besmirch the law-abiding majority of hunters," Mifsud Bonnici said.

Two poachers were charged with hunting birds in the nature reserve Foresta 2000 in Mellieha yesterday, after they were photographed wearing balaclavas to avoid identification, by members of the Administrative Law Enforcement unit.

Mifsud Bonnici said that since filming by a BBC crew was instrumental in bringing this poacher to justice, "we now expect the BBC to publicize the fact that justice proceedings were swift, ending with a justly harsh sentence. We trust that the BBC will not use this incident and some others to tarnish Malta's image.

"We are certain that this was an isolated case out of the few; and it proves that the great majority of hunters are complying with the law and abiding by the conditions of Malta's spring-hunting derogation."

BirdLife Malta has questioned the ability of the government and enforcement authorities to control and limit the spring hunting season properly in accordance with its derogation of the EU Birds Directive, which allows spring hunting of turtle doves and quail.

The NGO also expressed its concerns over whether police were correctly enforcing daily bag limits and seasonal quotas in accordance with the derogation conditions.