[WATCH] ‘FKNK must take action if it wants to be credible’ – BirdLife

BirdLife Malta's executive director Steve Micklewright has called on hunters' lobby FKNK to step down from the Hunting Derogation Monitoring Board, after an FKNK official was allegedly caught poaching in the Foresta 2000 bird sanctuary in Mellieha.

Addressing the press after a meeting of the board at the ministry for sustainable development, Micklewright insisted that the hunter, Edwin Vella, was an FKNK official who should be setting an example. "If FKNK wants to be taken seriously over its zero tolerance policy, then it must immediately take action against this hunter and expel him from the federation," Micklewright said

The FKNK said that Vella is not a senior official but a member of a a district committee's executive.

Micklewright said that FKNK's lack of action was making it difficult for BirdLife to remain members of the monitoring board. During the meeting, Mickleright also called on the hunters to resign from the board, something which FKNK turned down immediately.

Also speaking to the press, FKNK spokesman Joseph Buttigieg said the federation will not be relinquishing its seat on the board. "Nobody can dictate to us how to act with our members," Buttigieg said, playing down the importance of the apprehending of Vella, as an FKNK official.

Buttigieg said that Vella, who has pleaded guilty in court, was not hunting in a protected area. "He was hunting outside the protected zone and he shot a turtle dove which fell inside the bird sanctuary," Buttigieg said, admitting that Vella's 'double mistake' had been picking up the dead bird from the sanctuary while carrying his shotgun.

While confirming that one of the hunters found guilty of poaching had been expelled from FKNK, and a second hunter was facing expulsion if found guilty by a court, Buttieg however said that Vella won't be expelled.

"His case is different because his illegality was not intentional," Buttigieg said.

However, Micklewright said that Vella's position within the district committee was still "a position of trust" and that he therefore should lead by example.

Micklewright, who also declared that BirdLife Malta would be reconsidering its position on the monitoring board, said it was time for the government to take action on the illegalities BirdLife was reporting. "There has been a lot of talk about taking action. Now it's time to act... while we do welcome the swift action taken with regard to the hooded hunters, there are 600 pending cases in court all related to hunting illegalities."

Micklewright added that on Sunday, BirdLife Malta registered 710 shots and saw three protected birds and a turtle dove shot down.