The Federation for Hunting & Conservation – Malta (FKNK) has noted with very grave concern the Statement issued by CABS – Committee Against Bird Slaughter, on the 20th. September 2008.

The allegations made therein are of a very serious nature and are such that cannot certainly be either ignored or underestimated, wither in their content or in their possible intention.

Following an accurate examination of the facts at issue, FKNK have come to the conclusion and conviction that this Statement is unfounded and grossly misleading.

Accordingly, the Commissioner of Police has today been requested by FKNK to investigate this matter.

The relevant extract from the Report sent to the Commissioner of Police is reproduced hereunder:-

“In a public Statement made on the 20th. September 2008, Alexander Heyd and Shai Agmon – Secretary General and member respectively of the organisation CABS – Committee Against Bird Slaughter, and who are currently in Malta together with the other persons from the same organisation also at present in Malta declared that on the 19th September 2008 “?hundreds of protected birds of prey were shot by Maltese hunters in the course of only a few hours.”

Following such declaration the Office of the Prime Minister, where a copy of the said statement was also sent, requested you to investigate the report made by these persons.

The facts as stated by these persons are unfounded and untruthful and have been so presented intentionally and maliciously in the hope that if sufficient reaction is provoked, then these persons would have obtained their declared intention to obtain an unjustified early closure of the autumn hunting season whilst at the same time justifying their presence and remuneration in Malta, bringing also their report to the attention of the European Commission precisely at a stage when the legal proceedings instituted by the European Commission against Malta in regard to hunting are still pending.

In this context you are requested to note, inter alia, that:

The very same Statement issued by CABS (vide extract of The Times of the 20th September 2008) identifies a maximum of nine birds observed as having been shot. The rest (that is the difference between these nine and the “hundreds” mentioned) are explained only in expressions of conjecture and presumption unsubstantiated by any objective of credible facts. At the same time, on a period of six days and not of a few hours, Bird Life Malta (vide extract from their website) reported that twelve birds were brought to its attention. The CABS team came to Malta to carry out their task equipped with sophisticated and sufficient equipment as were more than adequate for their task and therefore they were in a highly ideal position to obtain clear evidence of what they are alleging. Their website presents in a prominent manner a video clip of an alleged Maltese hunter picking up a protected bird. It is neither credible not likely that having presented one instance of illegal hunting in such detail, they were unable to produce in similar fashion clear evidence of the “hundreds of protected birds of prey shot by Maltese hunters.” Throughout all this time the CABS team was given, (justly so) maximum assistance by the Police Force who always intervened immediately and without any hesitation every time they were asked to do so. It is therefore similarly neither credible nor likely that CABS had no police official present or requested to be present when what they are alleging was taking place. It has been observed both by non hunters and by a number of officials that even with the extraordinary presence of birds of prey brought to Malta by the unforeseen vagaries of weather only a few isolated incidents of illegal hunting were reported.

As you are well aware FKNK whilst defending and promoting the rights and position of its members, has always condemned any illegal hunting and has always made it clear that none of its members found guilty of such practice will find any comfort within its ranks. For the FKNK even if only nine or twelve birds of prey find themselves as the target of irresponsible hunters, they are nine and twelve too many and this is therefore unacceptable.

Similarly unacceptable however is the abuse of these members of the CABS team who after having been given maximum assistance by the Maltese authorities have chosen to intentionally present false and misleading facts both to the Maltese public and abroad.”

Lino Farrugia Secretary – FKNK