Harsher penalties, beefed-up enforcement for hunting season

The Administrative Law Enforcement Unit of the Police has been increased with additional staff compliment to ensure greater surveillance and monitoring of the countryside during the upcoming autumn season for hunting.

In a statement, the parliamentary secretary for animal rights and agriculture and fisheries said the ALE will be assisted by other enforcement personnel in a bid to "eradicate and prevent potential infringements" of hunting laws.

"In line with government's commitment to strengthen enforcement, the parliamentary secretariat is coordinating with the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure increased enforcement presence in the field during the forthcoming autumn hunting season," the government announced.

The secretariat will also be introducing "considerably harsher and more effective" penalties for hunting offences. "Government will also initiate the process of developing a national communication strategy for the eradication of illegal killing, trapping and trade in wild birds. A working group consisting of the key stakeholders including representatives of conservation NGOs and hunting organisations shall shortly be formed for this purpose."

Inter-ministerial consultation to establish a wildlife crimes investigations unit within the police force will also be starting in due time, in a bid to improve coordination of enforcement in the field.

In a reference to the recently observed large influx of migrating birds particularly flamingos, the government said "virtually all birds" observed continued their southerly migration without incident.

"Notwithstanding this, the government deplores and condemns without reservation the isolated incidents of alleged illegal targeting of protected birds and reiterates its commitment to zero-tolerance policy for abuse," it said, after police today discovered the carcass of a shot flamingo, inside a freezer in a Kercem home, in Gozo.

"Police are investigating all reported incidents and offenders are being prosecuted and brought to justice according to law. The fact that the alleged incidents took place during the closed season underscores the need for greater deterrent and more effective enforcement in the field," the government said.