CABS slams the government for opening bird trapping season

by Gozo News · October 20, 2017

In a statement today, CABS has accused the authorities of showing a “laisser-faire attitude” towards illegal bird trade.

It also sharply criticised the government for opening the controversial bird trapping season today – an issue, which it said, has landed Malta before the EU courts where it is accused of “not respecting it obligations under the EU´s Birds Directive.”

CABS President Heinz Schwarze stated, “it seems that this government is willing to let Malta pay a high price to please a small group of trappers whose selfish hobby has destroyed bird populations, the Maltese countryside and Malta´s reputation abroad.”

The government’s Wild Bird Regulation Unit (WBRU) and Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights Clint Camilleri, were also slammed by the ornithologist for “falsely claiming” that trapping is being “rigorously monitored.”

Schwarze added that in fact, “the opposite is the case with more than 50 cases of illegal trapping reported by CABS this year alone, with the police reacting too late to reports and a blooming and a totally uncontrolled black market for wild-caught birds.”

There was further criticism from CABS towards the police and WBRU, “for not doing anything to prevent the illegal mass-sale of wild birds on the Sunday market in Floriana which is being held every week close to the Porte des Bombes,” and which CABS describe as “one of the central hubs for the illegal bird trade on Malta.”

“Despite hundreds of finches and other European birds being offered for sale no proper inspections of this market have been carried out in the last years,” stated the NGO.

It pointed out that, “the headquarters of the police is only three minutes walking distance from this market but for reasons we do not understand no one came up with the idea of conducting regular spot-checks there.”

CABS Press Officer Axel Hirschfeld added that CABS and Birdlife have “repeatedly informed the authorities about the sale of unringed protected birds on this particular market and in petshops around the islands.”

The organisation also urged the authorities to finally start investigations into the increasing number of offers for finches, waders, turtle doves, golden plover and thrushes on various Maltese internet platforms.

CABS Wildlife Crime Fiona Burrows said that “a significant number of birds offered as “captive bred animals” are in fact wild birds illegally smuggled in from Italy.”

“Recent CABS operations in Reggio Calabria have led to criminal proceedings against an organised ring of 13 persons and the confiscation of more than 2000 finches this year,” she added. According to CABS the men had planned to smuggle the birds to Malta where – “thanks to lax laws and the laisser-faire-attitude of the local authorities – it is very easy to convert wild-caught birds into money.”