COUNTRYSIDECLOSEDFOR SPRING

A report bySpring Hunting Out Campaign

February 2015

www.springhuntingout.com www.facebook.com/SpringHuntingOut

www.twitter.com/SHout_Malta

COUNTRYSIDECLOSED

FOR SPRING

Contents

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Photo on front cover by Victor Falzon

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Taqsira bil-Malti Summary in EnglishIntroduction The hunting grounds The impacts of spring huntingConclusion

Malta hija l-pajjiż bl-iktar popolazzjoni densa fl-UE u fost l-iktar pajjiżi b’densità ta’ nies fid-

dinja, b’xi 1300 abitant f’kull kilometru kwadu. Imma l-ambjent naturali ta’ Malta jkopri biss 19% tal-art.

Meta ngawdu l-kampanja nistgħu ntejbu s-saħħa mentali u anke fiżika tagħna. Li timxi, issuq ir-rota jew tkun riekeb fin-natura

hi tajba għall-ġisem u anke għall-moħħ. Ir-riċerka turi li l-kuntatt dirett man-natura hi importanti għal żvilupp b’saħħtu tat-tfulija.

SHout użat il-figuri tal-kaċċaturi stess biex tikkalkula li 77% tal-kampanja tista’ tintuża

għall-kaċċa.

Ir-raġuni għala ħafna mill-kampanja hi okkupata mill-kaċċaturi hi li Malta għandha waħda mill-ikbar popolazzjonijiet ta’ kaċċaturi fid-dinja. Il-kaċċa tista’ ssir fuq 160km2 tal-gżejjer

Maltin. Jekk wieħed jikkunsidra li hemm madwar 10,000 kaċċatur liċenzjati, din tammonta għal 62.5 kaċċatur kull kilometru kwadru.

Teoretikament, 97.7% tal-popolazzjoni (jiġifieri xi 413,000 ruħ) għandhom aċċess

għal 23% tal-kampanja, imma b’xorti ħażina lanqas dan mhuwa l-każ, minħabba li xi żoni fejn ma tistax issir kaċċa huma wkoll magħluqa għalihom.

Sadanittant, żoni pubbliċi bħall-Miżieb u L-Aħrax jikkontrollawh il-kaċċaturi matul

l-istaġun tal-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa, u l-Federazzjoni tal-Kaċċaturi FKNK tieħu passi attivi biex teskludu nies oħra milli jgawduhom.

Żoni oħra ta’ art pubblika wkoll okkupati mill-kaċċaturi jinkludu l-Park tal-Majjistral. Din

hija biċċa art li suppost hija merfugħa għat-tgawdija mill-poplu kollu. Minkejja dan, il-kaċċa fil-park tibqa’ għaddejja sal-10am.

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Art publika okkupata, nies imkeċċijin b’theddid u arroganza.

Taħwil ta’ msaġar tal-ewkaliptus, siġar aljeni li jnixxfu l-art u jikkompetumal-flora indiġena.

Użu ta’ callers illegali b’volum għoli u kontinwu tant li jfixkel il-mistrieħ ta’ residenti fl-inħawi.

Ħarġiet edukattivi fil-kampanja minn tfal tal-iskola mħassrin minħabba kaċċa fl-inħawi.

Bini ta’ duri koroh u illegali li jistunaw u jkissru l-armonija tal-pajsaġġ.

Tiċpis bl-addoċċ u bla grazzja ta’ RTO u TIDĦOLX fuq blat u ħitan tas-sejjieħ.

Sparar u storbju minn kmieni filgħodu.

Tiri sparati apposta biex ibeżżgħu nies li jkunu passiġġata fil-kampanja.

Xokk, niket u rabja meta nies u tfal isibu tajr mejjet jew ferut.

Ħsara lit-turiżmu.

Ħsara lil djar u proprjetà privata u publika f’inħawi fejn issir kaċċa.

Skrataċ vojta u skart ieħor imxerred fil-kampanja.

Ħsara minn ċomb lil uċuh tar-raba’ u apparat tal-biedja.

Tfixkil u qtil ta’ fawna selvaġġa minn klieb tal-kaċċa.

Taqsira bil-Malti

Il-kaċċa tħalli diversi impatti negattivi fuqil-kampanja u ċċaħħad lin-nies milli jgawduha.

Malta is the most densely populated country in the EU and one of the most densely

populated countries in the world, with around 1300 inhabitants per square kilometre. But Malta’s natural environment covers only 19% of its area.

Enjoying the countryside improves physical and mental health. Walking, cycling and

riding in nature is good for body and mind. Research has clearly shown that direct exposure to nature is important for healthy child development.

Using the hunters’ own stated figures, SHout has calculated that 77% of the Maltese

countryside can be used for hunting.

The reason that so much of the countryside is occupied by hunters is that Malta has

one of the highest concentrations of hunters in the world. Hunting is allowed on about 160km2 of the Maltese islands. If one considers that there are approximately 10,000 hunters licensed in spring this adds up to 62.5 hunters per square kilometre.

In theory, the other 97.7% of the population, (about 413,000 people) have access to

23% of the countryside, but this is sadly not even the case, because some areas where hunting is prohibited is also closed to the public.

Meanwhile, areas of public land such as Miżieb and Aħrax are under the effective

control of hunters during the spring hunting season, with the FKNK Hunters Federation taking active steps to exclude other people from enjoying them.

Other areas of public land are also occupied, including the Majjistral Nature and History

Park. This is an area of land that has been set aside for the people of Malta to enjoy for recreation, but hunting continues to take place during the spring hunting season until 10am

Summary in English

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Hunting has a major negative impact on the countryside and the people’s ability to enjoy it.

Public land occupied, people chased off with threats and arrogance.

Planting of groves of illegal eucalyptus, an alien species that dries out the land and competes with native flora.

Use of illegal bird callers played loud and constantly, causing stress to residents in the area.

Educational school outings cancelled because of hunting in the vicinity

Ugly and illegal hunting hides jarring and destroying the harmony of the countryside.

Shoddy and unsightly signs of RTO and NO ENTRY splashed over rocks and rubble walls.

Shooting and noise from early in the morning.

Shots fired deliberately in the direction of walkers to scare them off the area.

Shock, stress and anger from people who find injured birds.

Damage to tourism.

Damage by shot to homes, private and public property.

Spent shotgun cartridges littering the countryside

Damage to crops and farm equipment from lead pellets.

Disturbance and destruction of fauna by hunters’ dogs.

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Malta’s natural environment covers only 19% of its surface area1. Access to the Maltese countryside is crucial for people to get away from urban areas for recreational purposes. After a week of living and working in the city, the countryside provides a breath of fresh air and a peaceful and quiet environment.

IntroductionThis report explains the countryside issues surrounding the spring hunting season that takes place in the Maltese Islands in April for a maximum of 21 days. Apart from the conservation concerns of shooting migratory birds on their way to breed, there are several issues that affect Maltese citizens directly as a result of the spring hunting season.

The importance of spring

The best time to be out in nature

With flowers in bloom, migratory birds flying over and temperatures relatively mild, spring is the best time to be out in the Maltese countryside. Enjoying the countryside improves both physical and mental health. Walking, cycling and riding while enjoying nature and wildlife is good for both body and mind. Research has clearly shown that direct exposure to nature is important for healthy child development.

The Maltese Islands offer walkers some of the most stunning views anywhere in the Mediterranean. Apart from the amazing Mediterranean Sea and landscape there are also several interesting historical places all around the Maltese countryside, such as chapels, towers, temples and much more.

Members of the public enjoying open space at Majjistral Nature and History Park

Areas such as Dingli Cliffs are frequently patrolled by hunters in spring, awaiting tired migratory birds coming in from North Africa. People strolling in these picturesque areas often leave in disgust.

Malta is by far the most densely populated country in the EU and, with around 1300 inhabitants per square kilometre, one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Victor Falzon

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1MEPA 2008. The Environment Report 2008

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During the spring hunting season around 10,000 hunters go out hunting, officially to shoot only Turtle Dove and Common Quail. Each hunter is allowed to shoot two birds in one day and a maximum of four birds during the whole season. Hunters are allowed to shoot a total of 5000 quail and 11,000 turtle doves between them and if this quota is reached the season should be closed. Hunters, however, are well known to regularly under-report the numbers of birds they shoot, meaning many more birds are taken than the quota allows, and all 21 days of hunting are invariably taken up. During the 2014 spring hunting season hunting was even allowed on Sundays and public holidays including Easter Sunday.

While most of the countryside is open to hunters for shooting, it is illegal to hunt or carry a firearm in Bird Sanctuaries, such as Buskett, Girgenti and Salina. It is also illegal to hunt at sea (i.e. on board a seacraft), within 50m of a main road, within 50m of the delineated boundaries of all protected beaches and within 200m of a residential area.

The hunting grounds

BirdLife Malta has calculated the total huntable area of Malta to account for 80% of the Maltese countryside. This figure has been criticised by the FKNK hunters’ organisation, so the SHout campaign has used the FKNK’s own figures1, which also conclude that 77% of the countryside can be used for hunting.

The total land areaof the Maltese Islands

is 316km2

of which 33% is built over, leaving 209km2 of countryside.

The FKNK states that160km2 of land can be hunted over. This amounts to 77% of

the countryside.

The white areasin the map at left

show the parts that areoff limits to hunting,

namely built-up areas,major roads and

other development,nature reserves

and bird sanctuaries.The rest, marked in black,

is huntable land.

Maltese law allows hunters to hunt on public land. As a consequence, every spring hunters occupy publicly owned countryside, and physically or psychologically exclude the rest of the population from exercising their right to enjoy it.

Victor Falzon

1http://www.huntinginmalta.org.mt/index.pl/traditional_hunting_practices2http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131025/local/malta-most-built-up-country-in-eu.491871

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Public areas under hunter control

Meanwhile, areas of publicly owned land – such as Miżieb and L-Aħrax – are under the effective control of hunters during the spring hunting season, with the FKNK Hunters Federation taking active steps to exclude other people from enjoying them. This has included FKNK seeking the removal of people by the police or having them prosecuted as tresspassers for walking across public land.

Public areas rendered no-go areas

Other areas of public land are also occupied by hunters, such as the Majjistral Nature and History Park. This is an area of open space, garrigue and seacliffs that was set aside as a park for people to enjoy and for recreation. Yet hunting continues to take place there during the spring hunting season until 10am. This area daily becomes a cacophony of gunfire and the sound of electronic quail lures (illegal devices that play quail calls to attract live birds to be shot), making it an unpleasant and a potentially dangerous place to visit. Educational school outings to the site are regularly cancelled due to the presence of hunters.

Cliffs and valleys overrun

In spring, in several areas where the cliffs meet the sea like Qammiegħ, Majjistral Park, Ta’ Lippija, Baħrija, Mtaħleb and Dingli Cliffs, hunters often patrol the cliffs waiting for tired migratory birds to arrive in order to shoot at them. Meanwhile, in almost every valley, like Tal-Ħandaq, Wied is-Sewda, Wied Garnaw and more, hunters line up waiting for migratory birds to fly through.

Massive concentration of hunters

The reason so much of the countryside is occupied by hunters is that Malta has one of the highest concentrations of hunters in the world. FKNK figures quote about 160km2 of huntable Maltese countryside, which is more than half the total land area of the Maltese Islands. With about 10,000 licenced hunters in spring this works out at 62.5 hunters per square kilometre. With so many crammed in such a small space, many hunters erect ‘Keep Out’ or ‘RTO’ signs on the public land that they occupy to keep the areas to themselves. These signs, along with the verbal and physical intimidation characteristic of many Maltese hunters, make the countryside feel like a no-go area during spring.

A sign clearly threatening people with prosecution if they enter Il-Miżieb. For 30 years the FKNK have fancied Il-Miżieb as their very own Hunting Reserve, although they have no shred of legal hold on the site.

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A hunter and his dog

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Around 15% of the land area of the Maltese Islands is currently protected as Natura 2000 sites1 due to their international importance for habitat and/or biodiversity. In most of these sites hunting is allowed in spring. The EU allows sustainable hunting in Natura 2000 sites, but hunting of declining birds on their way to breed in mainland Europe can never be considered sustainable.

Bird Sanctuaries in the Maltese Islands are areas where hunting is prohibited due to their importance for birds. and the largest of these – although not strictly speaking part of the countryside – is the Malta International Airport; other bird sanctuaries include the Marsa Sports Grounds, Ta’ Qali, Ta’ Ċenċ, Salina and Kemmuna. These areas amount to just 5% (1655ha) of Maltese territory.

Despite more than half the entire country already at their disposal, hunters often encroach on this 5% as well. In 2013, for example, three hunters were caught red-handed in Foresta 2000, which lies inside the protected buffer zone of Għadira bird sanctuary.

Bird Sanctuaries

Hunters claim they are the guardians of the Maltese environment and that they often plant trees. It is worth noting, however, that most of the trees that hunters plant are fast-growing species of alien eucalypts, which grow vigorously and within a few years form a grove that attracts Turtle Doves and other birds to the hunters lying in wait for them. These aliens, originally from Australia, have a detrimental effect on local soils as they rapidly dry out the ground. They also compete with indigenous trees such as Holm Oak and Aleppo Pine.

A hunter’s tower overlooks a grove of alien eucalyptus trees (limits of Il-Ġnejna)

Hunter caught hunting at Foresta 2000 in spring 2013

Victor FalzonM

ike

Dow

nham

Guardians of alien groves

Unsustainable hunting in Natura 2000 sites

1http://www.mepa.org.mt/impnatareas-pas-int-n2k-mt

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The impact of spring huntingon people

In Malta, hunting in spring usually takes place from around the 12th to the 30th April. The following are the situations that the public faces during the spring hunting season.

Occupation of public land In 2014 Maltese families camping over the Easter weekend at L-Aħrax were forced to leave the area by hunters using public land as their hunting grounds. These hunters called the police to remove them from the area, and so stopped the families from enjoying their holiday. Maltese hunters can hunt on public land without any need for permission. This has led to areas of public land being occupied by hunters.

“If you decide to go hiking, you might find a lot of areas marked private/privat. Most of these areas aren’t private at all. They’d have been marked by hunters who wouldn’t want people trespassing the area where they hunt, and possibly disturbing the birds they’re trying to get.

Even though they’re not actually private areas, it would probably be best to avoid them just the same. On one occasion, I got chased and had rocks thrown at me!”

“Watch out for hunters in the countryside”

Member of the public warning tourists 21 September 2007

Damage to private propertyDuring the spring hunting season people living in the countryside and at the edge of town often end up having their property showered with lead pellets.

FarmersWhile it is true that some farmers are also hunters, many are not interested in hunting and often suffer during the spring hunting season. Many hunters regularly enter fields to recover the birds they shoot. Farmers also have their crops covered in lead pellets, or have hunting dogs dig up their land. Lead shot from the spring shooting season often falls on the crops that the farmers are growing. Farming equipment is also sometimes damaged by lead pellets.

“I can’t even enjoy my own private vineyard in Dwejra due to hunters. My irrigation pipes are constantly sprouting water out of holes cause by shotgun lead pellet holes, which I have to stay patching up. And the amount of lead I collect off my field is incredible.”

Farmer , 2015 Naxxar

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Illegal hidesIllegal hunting hides have been put up on areas of public land which ruin the appearance of the countryside. Most of these hideous structures are built without any permit being applied for or given.

At Il-Miżieb, FKNK’s claimed ‘hunting reserve’, there have been recorded up to 256 hides. The site is 1.4km2 equat-ing to a density of 183 hides per square kilometre. This cannot in any way be considered to represent sustainable hunting. Some of the hides are con-crete structures with metal doors. Devel-opment permits are needed to build these structures. Each yellow square in the aerial view of Il-Miżieb at left is a hunting hide.

School visits cancelled

Several school groups plan fieldwork trips to the countryside to observe the spring flora, but they are often cancelled because of the threat that bird-shooting poses to the students’ safety.

“I went to visit Ballut (a bird sanctuary) of Marsaxlokk where every Saturday I used to go there to take some photo. As soon as I entered the reserve I noticed four hunters hidden in the vegetation. After some time they approached me. They asked me, ‘Are you from BirdLife?’ I replied, ‘Yes is there anything wrong with this? Then they started to threaten me that they would kill me and all BirdLife members. They tried to make fun of me. They asked me, ‘Why did you come here? Have you seen any bird?’ One of the hunters threatened to break the window of my car. Unfortunately I had to go out of the reserve.”

Photographer - Spring 2014, Marsaxlokk

Verbal intimidation and harrassmentDuring the spring hunting season members of the public walking in the countryside are often harassed and verbally intimidated by hunters while accessing countryside paths.

“I often go out walking with my nephew but have to go back because of the shooting.”

Member of the public, 2013

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“I think I will never forget the day, it was 18:15 in the evening and all of a sudden I hear in the road next to our house loads of cars driving up and down like maniacs and screeching as though they were racing. Shooting starts, like non-stop shooting, it was like machine gun shooting, really non-stop. It was actually scary and I look at the sky and I see this huge flock of birds right on top us, lead shots were falling into our garden; so I got the key and I started shouting and ran out in the road. As I got out in the road they had stopped shooting and I saw two guys picking up something. One climbed on a little wall and one waiting in the road and he pulled down with him a huge bird, he was holding it from its neck, it had huge wings … The next day I come into the garden and I find one of these storks dead in the garden. It had all these wounds and blood was all over the place…”

Finding dying or dead birdsEvery spring members of the public walking in the countryside find dead or dying birds that have been shot and left to die. Many of these birds are protected species, and many of these birds, like swallows and swifts, are shot for target practice. Most of the injured birds found during the spring hunting season are handed to the police or BirdLife Malta. Finding dead or injured birds cause much pain and anguish to their finders, especially if children witness these horrible spectacles. Apart from the birds found by the public, many more are either collected by hunters or left to die a long, slow death in severe pain.

Member of the public, 18 May 2011

“My father went up to the roof and there was a black-winged stilt up there and he called me up and I shot a few pictures. We saw that it was injured, it had an injured left wing and it couldn’t fly … It is quite shocking you know, if you don’t see these things, to see such a beautiful bird in front of you which had to be put down because of its injuries is quite shocking.”

Member of the public, April 2014

SafetyPeople walking in the countryside are often showered by lead shot making it dangerous to enjoy spring while hunting is going on. The shooting makes the public feel like they are in a war zone. Even in areas where hunting is forbidden, like beaches, hunters are often at the top of the ridges and pose a threat to those walking below. Lead fired from a shotgun can reach more than 122m.

“I live in the countryside surrounded by hunters, so I try to go to safe and quieter areas for a walk in the mornings before work. So yesterday I decided to go to the beach at Għajn Tuffieħa with my dogs. I knew there would be hunters at the top of the cliffs above the beach, but I could not believe how many there were hunting beyond the clay cliffs or on the land that leads down to the main beach. It is ridiculous that hunters are allowed to shoot birds in these areas. Is there nowhere in Malta where I can enjoy a peaceful and relaxing walk on a beautiful spring morning?”

Member of the public, April 2014

“I walk my dogs [outside Miżieb] and I hear the shooting and it is quite scary for me. One of my dogs is also scared. We cannot go in the wood right now because it is too dangerous. I would normally take them in if there is no hunting season and they love it there, it’s a public park.”

Dog walker, 21 April 2014, Miżieb

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Illegal bird callersA bird caller is a tape, CD or MP3 device that recreates the call of the bird that is being hunted. The use of bird callers for hunting is illegal but they are incredibly widespread, making this the most common offence recorded by volunteers who monitor the spring hunting season.

Bird callers are forbidden for hunting according to the EU Birds Directive and Maltese law. Quail migrate at night and a bird caller easily attracts them to land the hunting grounds, where they are shot in the morning. These calls increase substantially the number of Quail that can be shot by a hunter.

Bird callers play Quail calls all night and stop with a timer before they can be located by the police in the morning. These illegal devices disturb people in their own homes. Reports of Quail callers have been made by people living in the countryside but also urban areas. In places like the Mellieħa area Quail callers are constantly playing at night. Even San Ġwann and Swieqi residents are disturbed by Quail callers played in the valleys, which echo across neighbouring residential areas. Some residents complain that they lose sleep because of this.

A survey carried out in the Maltese countryside in Spring 2014 located a total of 72 bird callers in Ramla Bay, Red Tower, Selmun Palace, Il-Magħtab, Ta’ San Pietru, Ta’ Benniena, Ta’ Qali, San Martin, Ta’ Mrejnu, Wardija, Golden Bay, L-Imġarr, Ġnejna Bay, Ta’ Santi, Victoria/Dwejra Lines, Tal-Abatija, Fomm Ir-Riħ, Wied Rini Radio Station, L-Irdum Tal-Vigarju, L-Imtaħleb, Fiddien, Dingli Cliffs, Buskett, Tal-Virtù, Ġebel Ciantar, Fawwara, Ħas-Saptan, Żurrieq, Għar Lapsi, Ħal Farruġ, Gudja and the Delimara peninsula. The survey only covered a small part of the island and the number of callers heard is only a small percentage of the true figure.

Tourism In Malta the countryside is at its best in spring, but tourists out walking during the spring hunting season are often shocked by what they witness.

Malta is also a great place to observe the spring migration of birds. The end of spring hunting could lead to the development of a new niche market in ecotourism.

“I was running from Xemxija along the trail that runs on the outskirts of the pine forest. A hunter fired from the rocky/farming land to my right – consequently I was showered with shot. I would like to point out that I am aware of hunting in this area, so I dress appropriately with bright fluorescent colours that will stand out in order to be seen both by hunters and by traffic when I get to the road. Next time I might not be so lucky as this pathway is higher than the ground where the shot was fired – I understand that hunters normally fire upwards, but with the difference in levels I could have been hit.”

Member of the publicSpring 2014, Xemxija

A tourist escaped unhurt last Wednesday when he was hit by lead pellets at a private residence in Xagħra.

The man, who went on to file a police report at the Victoria police station, reported having been in the back garden of a private residence when he was hit by the lead pellets. He however didn’t require any medical attention.

Despite the spring hunting season closed on 30 April, hunting incidents are still being reported to the police, especially in Gozo.

At least a second report was filed on Thursay in Gozo reporting hunting witnessed being carried out on the sister island’s countryside.

4 May 2013Tourist in Gozo hit by lead pellets

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2.3% of the population should not occupy 77% of the Maltese countryside, preventing the other 413,000 from enjoying it.

Malta is a crowded island and the most densely populated country in Europe. The public should be able to relax and enjoy the Maltese countryside without feeling under threat and without being harassed.

Spring is the best time of the year to enjoy the countryside in the Maltese Islands and nobody should take this away from us.

Hunters have five entire months(1 September to 31 January) in which to hunt birds in the Maltese countryside.

They have autumn, we deserve spring.

On 11 April 2015 we urge the Maltese public to vote NO to spring hunting so that spring can be freely enjoyed by everyone.

Conclusion

SHout argues that

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