Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/732282
3 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2016 News Thursday TVM 20:45 Turtle eggs hatch in Golden Bay 66 turtle eggs hatched in the early hours yesterday and made their way to the sea SOME 66 turtle eggs in Golden Bay hatched early yesterday morning under the watchful eye of volunteers, nature lov- ers, and members of Nature Trust and the Environment and Resources Authority. The baby turtles emerged from their eggs, with the first signs of movement appearing at 1:10am. According to Nature Trust Malta president Vince Attard, the hatching continued until 4:30am. "We will continue to monitor the site for any late hatchlings for the next seven days," Attard added. There was reportedly concern about the lights at the bay, so using infra-red lights, those present guided the freshly hatched turtles to the sea. All lights were reportedly turned off, but since there was no moon that night, environ- mental officials feared the tur- tles could become disoriented by the lights of the nearby ho- tel. "ERA officials were very help- ful, and contacted the nearby hotels and kiosks to turn off their lights. Those who were asked complied," Attard said. Over the past weeks volun- teers had dug a trench from the nest to the sea. Attard explained that the recent rainy weather cooled down the temperature of the sand, and therefore those in- volved were aware of the pos- sibility of early hatching. However, the rain also posed the risk of drowning the em- bryos. Back in 2012, another turtle had laid eggs in Gnejna Bay, however, these had become wa- ter-logged, killing the embryos inside, according to the au- thority which was then known as MEPA. The loggerhead turtle nested at Golden Bay, laying between 40 to 100 eggs in the early hours of the morning on 2 Au- gust. Nature Trust Malta had closed off the area and called on volunteers to help watch over the site and to ensure that no damage was caused by passers-by, after ERA officials confirmed that eggs had been laid shortly before midnight. Loggerhead turtles tend to lay between three and six nests a season, with up to 130 eggs in each nest. Female turtles eventually return to the beach where they were born to lay their own eggs. The turtles are classified as globally endangered by the In- ternational Union for the Con- servation of Nature. Protestor calls off hunger strike after meeting PM YANNICK PACE DEAN Camilleri, a 31-year old environmental engineering stu- dent who lives in Pembroke, started a hunger strike outside the Auberge de Castille in Vallet- ta yesterday morning, which he called off soon after, in protest at what he sees as a refusal by local authorities to enforce the laws of the country over noise from a bar located at St George's Bay. Camilleri, who lives close to the bay, said that in the summer last year a number of establishments around the bay decided to turn the entire area into 'one big night club', playing loud music till the early hours of the morning. "The situation is unacceptable. It is not right for people to have to feel like they are in a night- club when they are in their own home," said Camilleri. At 11:30am, Camilleri in- formed the press that he had met Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and called off his hunger strike. "I was well received by the PM and he listened thoroughly to the problems we are facing here in Pembroke. I was told that ac- tion will be taken in this regard. As such, for the time being I am calling off my hunger strike and will be awaiting to see if the situ- ation will improve." A government spokesperson confirmed that Joseph Mus- cat had called in Camilleri for a meeting, adding that the Prime Minister wanted decisive action to be taken immediately. The level and duration of noise, Camilleri said, is at its worst in the summer months, and it is not much better in winter. "It's a problem every day. Weekends are obviously a lot worse but I'm constantly on the phone with the police and more often than not nothing happens." Over the course of the last year Camilleri said he had tried to get his message across through a number of channels, speaking to a number of ministers as well as the Prime Minister, however the most he was told was that a law on noise pollution is in the pipeline. "I think it is obviously good for there to be a law to prevent these things from occurring, however we cannot wait for months or years until this law is enforced. We have a right to live in peace now," he said. Dean Camilleri, 31, of Pembroke, staged a hunger strike yesterday