BirdLife Malta has strongly condemned the Prime Minister Robert Abela’s decision to weaken the laws regulating scientific bird ringing in what it describes is, “a clear step to pacify the hunters’ lobby and to disguise illegal bird trapping as a scientific ringing project.”

In a statement on Monday BirdLife Malta argued that, “Abela’s decision undermines decades of credible ornithological research and damages Malta’s long-standing reputation in bird studies.” The NGO insisted that it also breaks away from an understanding that was upheld by Prime Ministers Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Alfred Sant, Eddie Fenech Adami, Lawrence Gonzi and Joseph Muscat that “appreciated the importance of retaining bird ringing science to a conservation body.”

“With this decision Robert Abela has confirmed his superficial understanding of environmental conservation and his willingness to do anything to suck up to the hunting lobby,” said BLM chief executive Mark Sultana. Sultana also added that “Ministers who truly understood the implications of these changes should speak up and not remain silent.”

BirdLife went on to say that following the recent European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that found Malta guilty of breaching the EU Birds Directive by opening a “bogus scientific research” derogation to allow the trapping of seven finch species, the government has “grown desperate.”

It said that, “in a last-ditch attempt to justify this discredited scheme, Minister for Hunting and Trapping Clint Camilleri, supported by Minister for the Environment Miriam Dalli, has enacted amendments to the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations that would significantly dilute the standards for scientific bird ringing.”

BirdLife Malta stated that these changes will allow bird trappers to be easily declared as “scientific bird ringers,” an attempt to disguise illegal trapping as legitimate research. “This desperate move not only seeks to deceive the European Commission into believing the scheme is scientific – it also opens the door to further abuse.”

Birdlife Malta added that Robert Abela had “worked to systematically weaken wildlife laws, with each amendment serving the interests of the hunting lobby and those intent on taking birds from the wild.”

Now, the government has gone a step further, BLM said – “dismantling the integrity of scientific bird research itself, purely to legitimise more bird trapping. This is nothing short of obscene.”

“By eroding the scientific standards of bird ringing, the government is turning a respected conservation tool into a smokescreen for illegal trapping,” said Mark Sultana BirdLife Malta CEO. “This cynical manipulation of the law will not fool anyone in Brussels – it will only further tarnish Malta’s reputation and harm genuine research efforts.”

BirdLife Malta stated that, “this ill-conceived plan is destined to fail. Scientific bird ringing is only credible when carried out within the EURING network, the only recognised European framework for bird ringing. Any attempt to operate outside this network will produce meaningless data and expose Malta to further ridicule and sanctions.”

BirdLife Malta said that while its bird ringing activities will “continue to meet the highest scientific standards contributing to EU reporting and conservation research – the organisation remains gravely concerned that the government’s amendments will be exploited by individuals seeking to trap protected birds under the false guise of science.”

It concluded by saying that “once again, the government has chosen to side with the trappers instead of upholding science, conservation, and Malta’s international obligations.”

BirdLife Malta’s ringing scheme was established on 6 September 1965. Photo by Antoine Monnier, BirdLife Malta

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