BirdLife Malta (BLM)’s “demand that Malta’s designated Natura 2000 sites be declared no-hunting zones is pure nonsense,” Secretary General Lino Farrugia of The Hunters’ Federation (FKNK) said in a statement this evening.

The FKNK was responding to a statement by BLM yesterday regarding Natura 2000 Sites, “when” the FKNK said that “BLM’s Executive Director, Mr. Steve Micklewright, admits” that “Almost all of these protected nature areas are (or should be) accessible to the public, either by public roads and footpaths, or as nature parks and reserves.”

“It is therefore completely incorrect,” FKNK continued, “for him to assert at the same time that hunters and trappers have been allowed to rule the roost in the Maltese countryside.”

“In case Mr. Micklewright, a UK national, is ignorant of the fact, BLM’s UK partners, the RSPB, even permit hunting in some of their bird reserves or sanctuaries, also Natura 2000 designated sites.

“Furthermore, Mr. Micklewright should be aware that in the UK various forms of hunting may be legally practised 24/7 throughout the whole year, so why should he come to Malta and militantly try to abolish our recreational socio-cultural hunting and trapping passions,” the hunters stated.

“The demand by BLM that Malta’s designated Natura 2000 sites be declared no-hunting zones is pure nonsense. Most of the land within Natura 2000 is privately owned mostly by people whose way of life is hunting and trapping. In effect, this means they are also major stakeholders and consequently their interests must be taken into consideration and respected.

“Whereas such zones are not totally protected, they are amenable to hunting and trapping since these activities are perfectly compatible in such zones, unlike what Mr. Micklewright would have the uninformed general public believe!” FKNK said.

The hunters referred Birdlife Malta and Mr Micklewright to the EU FACE (Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation in the EU) project “Natura 2000 and Sustainable Hunting in Europe” co-financed by the European Commission, in partnership (20%) with ELO, the European Landowners’ Organisation, and with the support of BLM’s partners, BirdLife International.

The Federation for Hunting and Conservation – Malta (FKNK) was an active participant in said project: http://www.huntinginmalta.org.mt/uploads/90/892/NATURA_2000_Write-up_in_English-October_2007.pdf

The FKNK concluded, “contrary to what BLM believes, this project proves beyond doubt that activities such as hunting and trapping may continue on Natura 2000 sites as long as they are compatible with its conservation objectives. Moreover, since all Natura 2000 sites will be placed under specific management, all activities, including hunting and trapping, will have to be legally practised and controlled, an ideal situation for the good of biodiversity conservation.”

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