The Malta Ranger Unit advised that an “unregistered trapping site” spotted on public land in Sannat had “unattended nets,” which it said, “posed a hazard both to wildlife and to people out walking.”

The Gozo Police went on site and dismantled the site, the MRU said.

This was the second such incident of unattended nets in Sannat, just last week Police removed unattended nets on a trapping site in the locality.

It explained that as per SL. 549.42, nets can never be left unattended but have to be covered if the trapper leaves the site. “This is to prevent entanglement to wildlife. The trapper, obviously, can also only trap at a registered site.”

The MRU noted that “unfortunately this is a common breach of the Regulations. We will continue to scan, report and follow up on such until we see no more.”

It pointed out that not many are aware that trapping sites can be registered on public land, even in protected areas such as Majjistral Park, and other recreational areas promoted to families.

“Our Rangers are at the moment scanning the Gozitan countryside for any type of environmental crime,” stated the MRU.

It highlighted that, “unfortunately, due to the Gozo Minister’s unwillingness to ask for an Environmental Protection Unit Police on the island, there are no patrols done by any authority in the remote corners of the island.”

The MRU warned that the “most impacted are where Natura2000 sites of Gozo were crimes, such as poaching and dumping/burning of waste, are thriving.”

“We wish to make the European Commission aware of this, since the statistics won’t show what isn’t caught by the Authorities,” said the MRU.

The MRU concluded by saying that, “the Maltese ‘protected’ areas, are not being protected well. They are just implemented.”

Photo: MR-1309 Malta Ranger Unit

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