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Hunting afternoon ‘curfew’ raised to 7pm in new autumn season rules
Ministry promises zero-tolerance of abuse and stronger enforcement and coordination with police and army.
13 August 2013, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Photo: Michela Checchi
The environment ministry has practically removed a hunting curfew that previously allowed hunting between the 15 and 30 Sepember to stop at 3pm, by taking the curfew up to 7pm - practically allowing hunters to catch birds all day long.
The government claims that the curfew was "depriving law-abiding hunters from hunting opportunities in the afternoon".
It also added that the ministry was recognising the need to strengthen enforcement and safeguard the passage of protected birds of prey, by ensuring additional protection during the time when the roosting birds are most vulnerable.
The 7pm curfew will cover the entire period from September to 7 October, with the ministry claiming that this will "ensure greater protection for birds of prey migrating during the first week of October."
"Should this measure be abused, the government will consider other, stricter options," the ministry said, without stating what the 'stricter' options would be.
The next hunting season for autumn will run from September to 31 January 2014, upon recommendation of the Ornis Committee.
The hunting of birds at sea will be allowed between the 1 October 2013 and the 31 January 2014, whilst the hunting of birds on land will be permitted between the 1 September 2013 and the 31January 2014, between two hours before sunrise and two hours after sunset from Monday and Saturday; and between two hours before sunrise and 1pm on Sundays and public holidays.
Hunting on land between 15 September and 7 October 2013 will not be permitted from Monday to Saturday after 7pm and two hours before sunrise of the next following day. This measure is being implemented as an additional safeguard for the passage of migrating protected birds, the ministry said.
"Enforcement will be strengthened to the levels comparable to those deployed in April this year during the period of the Spring hunting derogation," the ministry said.
A Wild Birds Regulation Unit established within the Parliamentary Secretariat for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights will monitor the season closely and will coordinate with the relevant law enforcement bodies, including the home affairs ministry, the police, the Armed Forces, and MEPA in order to deter and eradicate abuse.
"In line with the zero-tolerance policy for hunting infringements, the government will demand nothing short of strict compliance with the hunting regulations established in the law and will ensure that these are adhered to.
"Without renouncing its own enforcement obligations, the government appeals to hunting organisations and individual hunters to ensure that no illegal hunting takes place as it is ultimately in their, and in everybody's interest to ensure that Malta's credibility in implementing applicable laws and regulations, including application of any derogations, are in no manner jeopardised."
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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I AM SORRY TO SAY BUT THIS IS DISGUSTING. NOT ONLY DOES IT MEAN THAT EVERYTHING THAT MOVES CLOSE TO THE SURFACE WOULD BE SHOT AT, BUT THAT LOVERS OF THE COUNTRYSIDE AND THE FLORA, WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD 3 - 4 HOURS WHEN THEY COULD GO OUT INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE, CANNOT DO SO ANY LONGER BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE SHOT AT. IS THIS THE FREEDOM EXPRESSED BY MALTA TAGHNA ILKOLL OR IS IT JUST MALTA TAL-FKNK BISS. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEGISLATING DO NOT KNOW WHAT HARM THEY ARE DOING TO US, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE, AND TO THEMSELVES TOO.
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Zero tolerance for infringements? Oh boy, HOW MANY TIMES have we heard this empty statement in the past. Enforcement, once again, will be noticed by it's absence.
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I am sorry, tradition or not, the hunting of migratory birds including Flamingos, various hawks, sparrows and particularly song birds is barbaric, insensitive to the damage it is causing in northern europe and it is about time these people became a little more civilised and fired at something that is not living and breathing. It can hardly be counted as hunting if you are using a twelve bore against a tiny winged creature; rather it is slaughter and it has a huge impact. Creating an imbalance in the eco systems elsewhere is probably nothing for these in sensitive people have ever thought about so I implore the government to act. Sport is only sport when the other party has an equal chance of success; hunting with a shot gun is ridiculously unequal! Lets face it these birds are not eaten so the joy these people take in killing defenceless creatures is just the thrill of murdering. Im sure St Francis would love that!
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In line with the zero-F***s-given policy for hunting regulations, the hunters will flip the bird at the government and shoot at everything that flies, now extended to include even those few birds that managed to escape by flying in the evening. Law-abiding hunters are an endangered species, possibly extinct.
