'Abusive hunters' harming Malta's potential for sports tourism

Frequent abuse by hunters is preventing Malta from becoming a popular touristic destination for rock-climbers, the President of the Malta Rock Climbing Club warned.

“To get to the cliffs, you must first pass through the land,” Andrew Warrington said. “Climbing anchors have been vandalised and climbing ropes have been slashed by hunters. On cliffs in Kercem, a public place, I saw a sign warning climbers to keep out because it was private property.”

“65% of the land is surrounded by cliffs, meaning that the potential for touristic rock-climbing is huge. However, access to these cliffs is becoming increasingly difficult due to problems with hunters, and it risk remaining a golden pot that we’re unable to tap into.”

He was speaking at a session held by Alternattiva Demokratika to discuss the effects of spring hunting on sportspeople. Cyclists, athletes and triathlon racers alike all criticised hunters for forbidding them to tread on public land while they were hunting.

Cyprian Dalli, President of the Malta Triathlon Association, recounted how he had tried to organize a triathlon championship at l-Ahrax last October but was denied a permit because of the ongoing hunting season.

Experienced ornithologist Raymond Galea warned that bird-watchers face similar problems.

“Hunters often stop birdwatchers from entering the countryside because they think that they are members of BirdLife,” Galea said. “I am not allowed to watch birds in the countryside in the morning as hunters are allowed to shoot them, so I am forced to take my hobby to nature reserves.”

In a short speech, AD chairman Arnold Cassola argued that a ban on spring hunting could yield millions to the economy as a result of bird-watching tourists flocking to Malta.