The Nationalist Party has said that it welcomes the Government’s decision to close the hunting season, adding that “this was made imperative by previous bad decisions by the Government.”

PN said in its statement that, “numerous transfers that took place within the ALE and the decision to repeal a 3pm curfew gave hunters the idea that they could do whatever they liked without any restrictions.”

Illegal hunting is illegal and no government can tolerate that. In 2007, the PN government had called off hunting after a massacre of birds, it said.

Alternattiva Demokratika statement

Alternattiva Demokratika said that the temporary closure of the hunting season was a good step, but very late. Deputy Chairman of AD Carmel Cacopardo, issued a statement saying that “the increasingly frequent incidents of killing protected birds is a “logical consequence of the Labour Party’s messages to the hunters.”

“The message sent out by Joseph Muscat and the Labour Party to hunters was simple: Labour protects hunting. As a result of this message, some hunters thought it was their right to do whatever they want, however not all hunters are of this belief,” Cacopardo said. “The consequences, are those we see around us constantly.”

“The temporary closure of the hunting season in autumn from 3.00pm on Saturday 20th September to the 11th October 2014 is a good step, however it was reached too late.

“I have no doubt that over the coming days we will hear more reports on different incidents,” Cacopardo said.

Din l-Art Helwa statement

Din l-Art Helwa said today that it commends the Government’s decision to close the hunting season following repeated instances of illegal hunting of protected birds.

“These persistent illegalities confirm that it is a mistake to relax hunting regulations, such as the recent removal of the 3.00pm hunting curfew which was intended to protect migrating birds of prey during this period,” DLH said.

The NGO concluded, “the easing up of environmental regulations has only served to encourage further abuse.”

Permalink: PN. AD & DLH all welcome Government’s decision to close hunting season