Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/475084
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 MARCH 2015 3 News Spring Hunting Out campaign launches video and posters to "remove the hunters' mask and reveal the true face of spring hunting in Malta" SHout: 'We don't forget what the hunters have done' 'Hunters not all pot-bellied pigs' – Yes campaign TIM DIACONO SPRING Hunting Out campaign- ers yesterday unveiled a video and poster with the tagline 'Don't for- get', aimed at reminding the Mal- tese of the true, and cruel, face of spring hunting in Malta. The powerful 30-second video deals with the impact of spring hunting on birds, which stop at Malta to rest while on their way to their breeding grounds in Eu- rope. The report features some of the more brazen incidents of illegal killing in recent years, which always sparked outrage. It also features actual footage of hunters aggressively occupying the dwindling countryside in Malta, shooting rare and protected birds, and violently attacking and abus- ing people who happened to be around. SHout campaign spokesperson Mark Sultana said the video uncov- ers the true face of spring hunting. "The hunters are hiding behind a mask with the 'Iva' campaign, but this video removes that mask. It shows the real and shocking im- pact of spring hunting on the coun- tryside, on birds and especially on anyone who dares try to enjoy the countryside in spring. We haven't forgotten these incidents, and it is important that the public do not forget when casting their vote on April 11," the day of the spring hunting abrogative referendum. SHout also revealed their first campaign poster, which highlights the acts of vandalism and killing that take place during spring hunt- ing seasons. "The campaign poster serves as a reminder to all of us of the intoler- ance, vandalism and killing that is associated with spring hunting and the consequences of a 'yes' vote in the referendum," added Sultana. The campaign has compiled a re- port of the most extreme examples of violence, vandalism and killing of protected birds during the last 10 years. The report highlights 11 in- cidents of what it describes as "sig- nificant violence" against people, 17 incidents of vandalism on trees or property as well as 12 major in- cidents of threats and harassment against members of the public or volunteers. "This catalogue of violence, van- dalism and threatening behaviour is really shocking," said Sultana, add- ing that it "serves as a reminder of what certain sections of the hunt- ing community are capable of." "While the report contains the most extreme examples, we must not forget that members of the public are frequently subjected to verbal harassment and intimidation during the spring hunting season." Campaign spokesperson Moira Delia said "we don't forget the rare marsh harriers which were targeted at night while they were resting, us- ing torches so they can be shot at. "We don't forget the flamin- gos, the storks, the balaclava-clad hunter caught shooting birds in the Foresta 2000 bird sanctuary. These incidents are simply the tip of the iceberg and show why we must vote 'no', so that birds can fly safely over Malta on their way back to main- land Europe to lay eggs and increase their numbers." THE hunters sought to promote a decent image of themselves at a Yes Campaign question and answer ses- sion outside the law courts yesterday, to counter the SHout campaign's "deliberate" depiction of hunters as "savage law-breakers and pot-bellied pigs" as hunter Mark Bonello put it. Which was strong language, for a decent-image promotion. "In our campaign, we've shown that hunters include professionals from all walks of life," he told the poorly-attended activity. Bonello, an economist, said he has been hunting for 14 years. "If I'd wanted to wear a mask, I'd have worn one at carnival," in response to SHout's accusations that the hunt- ers are ignoring the vicious aspect of spring hunting throughout their campaign. "This movement isn't on- ly for hunters either, but for all those who believe in protecting minori- ties," he argued. Lawyer Kathleen Grima – the face of the Yes campaign – referred to the self-immolation description by FKNK president Joe Perici Calas- cione, who said the spring hunting abrogative referendum was a 'war'. It was not intended to be an incite- ment to violence, Grima said. "His choice of words was a huge hit and only he can explain what he meant by them, but I'm sure he meant it in that the hunters chose to take an ac- tive stance rather than boycott the referendum." Grima also claimed that the rate of turtledove and quail conserva- tion was increasing and that hunters should not all be punished because of the illegal actions of a minority of hunters. "Should the hunters who obey the law suffer because of the ones who don't or should we leave it to the in- stitutions to punish illegal hunters?" she wondered. "There are so many cases of bad driving, but should we take away everyone's driving licence because of them?" 'Quail figures no indication that autumn is an alternative' A recent study by environmen- tal company Ecoserv showed that 50,000 quail flew over Malta in the 2014 autumn hunting season, more than the number that flew over the islands in the spring hunting season of a few months earlier. When asked by MaltaToday why the hunters are still insisting that quail do not fly over Malta in suf- ficient numbers in the autumn months, Bonello said that Ecoserv's results aren't indicative of what hap- pens every autumn. "In one year, quail numbers could be abundant and the next they could be sporadic, just like lampuki," Bonello said. "Every autumn, 8.5 mil- lion quail and turtledove are hunted in Europe but too few of them fly over Malta during that season, which is why the EU gave Malta the right to derogate in the first place. "If turtledove and quail were in danger of extinction, the EU would have halted spring hunting itself. The fact that they haven't means that they aren't in risk." He pointed out that quail and tur- tledoves aren't killed only for pleas- ure but for consumption too. "If they were only killed for pleasure, they wouldn't be found on restaurant menus," he argued. He also had a stick to wield, claimed that hunters pay €2 million on hunting licences, money that is used by police to enforce hunting regulations. "Abolishing spring hunting would be almost equivalent to abolishing hunting altogether, meaning that a lot of hunters won't be interested in renewing their licences," he said. "Therefore, the police will have less money to monitor hunting. At the same time, enforcement would have to increase as they'd have to monitor all types of hunting." He argued that other EU countries apply different hunting derogations too, such as in the UK, where the hunting of 17 species is permitted all year round, in Latvia where wood- cock are hunted all year, and in Fin- land, where longtail duck are hunted in spring. Lawyer Kathleen Grima is fronting the campaign for the hunting fraternity SHout campaigner Moira Delia 'Catalogue of violence serves as reminder'