Surfbirds News: BirdLife International Archives
European outrage as Malta’s spring hunting season begins
On the same day Malta’s spring hunting season for birds begins, bird conservation organisations across Europe have united in protest against the Maltese government for allowing the practice to continue, despite ongoing legal and political action taken by the European Commission. The European Partnership of BirdLife International -consisting of 42 separate national conservation organisations- have together urged the Maltese Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi to end spring hunting and “clamp down” on poaching.
The conservation groups argue that, since joining the EU in 2004, Malta has breached the European Birds Directive by allowing spring hunting of Turtle Dove and Quail. Spring hunting is prohibited by the Birds Directive in order to protect wild birds during their migration from Africa to breeding grounds in Europe.
Turtle Dove, copyright Steve Arlow
This is the fourth consecutive breach of the EU law since Malta joined the Union in 2004. Legal action by the European Commission against Malta began in June 2006, with a European Court case expected to start later this year. On 15 March 2007 the European Parliament adopted a strong resolution calling on Malta to end spring hunting and trapping of birds immediately.
Speaking on behalf of the BirdLife European Partnership, Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International in Brussels said: |
