The ORNIS Committee has made the decision to allow yet another trapping season for finches, described as “research,” despite the derogation being soon subject to a final deliberation at the European Court of Justice (ECJ), BirdLife Malta said.

BirdLife added that on Thursday and this would be “the final step in the European Commission’s Infringement Proceedings initiated against Malta to stop this illegal derogation.”

BirdLife said that in a meeting held on Tuesday, all ORNIS members present, with the exception of BirdLife Malta, voted in favour of re-opening the finch trapping season. The ERA – Environment & Resources Authority was absent from the meeting.

BirdLife Malta said that last year this season ran between the 20th of October and the 20th of December.

“Ironically, the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) and the Government withheld from the Committee information regarding the outcomes of similar trapping seasons in previous years, with the excuse that the derogation is subject to legal proceedings at EU level,” the NGO said.

The Committee also voted in favour of opening again a trapping season for Song Thrush and Golden Plover between the 20th of October 2023 and the 10th of January 2024.

BirdLife said that it is now up to Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri – who is responsible for hunting and trapping – to accept the recommendations put forward by ORNIS.

Meanwhile, a post shared by WBRU in less than 24 hours that the item was discussed at the ORNIS Committee meeting, it said that “with reference to the Ornis Committee meeting held on 10th October, and with reference to condition 30 of the finches research special licence, all holders of this special licence are notified that condition 20(b) is amended as follows:

“20 (b) captive-bred finches fitted with a seamless closed ring, as defined in regulation 2 of the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations (S.L.549.42).”

BirdLife Malta pointed out that “in Tuesday’s meeting, an amendment proposed by BirdLife Malta to hold trappers accountable of their own registered trapping sites was however met with disgruntlement by the rest of the Committee.”

The NGO argued that this “decision” on finch trapping “came after thousands of licences specifying multiple conditions were already issued by WBRU to trappers weeks ago.”

BirdLife Malta concluded by stating that “the efficiency at which Federazzjoni Kaccaturi Nassaba Konservazzjonisti – FKNK proposals become law, yet BirdLife Malta’s proposal to improve enforcement gets discarded, keep showing an all too obvious agenda.”

Photo: BirdLife Malta

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