Official documents revealing MEPA’s legally binding commitments to the EU LIFE + Project on Bird Migration and Trapping were released today by BirdLife Malta to counter the Authority’s public disassociation from the project.
In a press conference, BirdLife Malta showed MEPA’s letter of support for the LIFE + information project which states that MEPA welcomes BirdLife’s commitment to support the Government in raising awareness on the conservation impacts of trapping practices. The letter was signed by the Director of Environment on 14 December 2007 (1), and was included in the LIFE + Project application that was submitted to the Commission by the Government of Malta.
In addition, BirdLife also revealed the LIFE + Project’s ‘Co-financier Commitment Form’ signed by MEPA on July 7 of last year whereby the Authority pledged financial support to the project (2).
Both documents are part of the original LIFE+ Project agreement entered into with the European Commission.
Last Wednesday, MEPA denied making any formal commitment to sponsor the LIFE + project because “BirdLife Malta had failed to directly involve key stakeholders such as FKNK and other associations that represent trappers in the project activities”(3).
MEPA’s letter of support states that the involvement of stakeholders such as FKNK and associations representing trappers would be beneficial to the project but this is not listed as a condition, contrary to MEPA’s claims. BirdLife added that MEPA also did not include any such condition on the official Co-Financer Commitment Form.
BirdLife Malta President, Joseph Mangion, said: “The project does include actions that involve individual trappers as well as trappers’ groups but these are scheduled to commence after April, in line with the agreed project actions. As a signatory on the official documents, MEPA is aware of this.”
BirdLife stated that it met officials from the Office of the Prime Minister last Friday seeking clarification on the statement issued by MEPA and showed the legally binding documents. Although the government officials confirmed that a reply would be given by Monday, the organisation was informed that the decision would be delayed and therefore BirdLife decided to reveal these official documents.
The funds acquired from the EU for the Project are to be used to raise awareness on the importance of Malta for bird migration, the impacts of trapping and legally binding agreements as Malta is now obliged to ban the practice according to the EU Accession Treaty Agreement (4) signed when Malta joined the EU.
Planned to run for two years, the LIFE + Project is worth EUR 350,000 of which 50 per cent is a direct contribution from the EU. It is the only LIFE+ project that Malta has succeeded in winning to date.
“Let’s put this project in context: The government had five years to communicate to the trappers and the public the conservation implications of trapping and its commitment to the EU to stop trapping at the end of 2008. They have done nothing to disseminate this information, let alone reduce the number of birds trapped as agreed during the Accession Treaty Agreement. The aim of the EU LIFE+ project is to initiate the necessary communication that should have been done years ago,” Mangion added.
As part of the Accession Treaty Agreement the Commission gave Malta a transition period to phase out trapping until the end of 2008. Only seven species of finch (songbirds) could be trapped and Malta was also obliged to reduce the number of finches during this phase out period.
Last Saturday, six billboards were erected to launch the LIFE + Project. One of the billboards was found burnt in Mellieha three days later, on the same day that parts of Ghadira Nature Reserve were set on fire by arsonists. A few hours later the FKNK issued a statement harshly critical of the government for co-financing the project, followed by a statement from MEPA denying agreements made to the Commission.
BirdLife Malta Development Manager, Nicholas Crockford, who worked closely with MEPA officials throughout the development of the project, explained that the Authority had been consulted at every stage of the project to the extent that even the design of the billboards was shown to MEPA and no objections were raised.
“However, their co-operation suddenly stopped in January when we were informed by MEPA that it was no longer the competent authority on issues related to birds and pointed to the Office of the Prime Minister,” Mr Crockford said.
Meanwhile, the FKNK has recently submitted a dossier to the Ornis committee demanding not only the continuation of trapping but also an increase of the number of species that can be trapped, increase in the number of trappers and a longer trapping season including spring.
“Although the deadline to stop trapping has passed, to this date the government has not amended the Legal Notice to outlaw trapping as agreed with the Commission. This naturally raises expectations among trappers. The LIFE + Project addresses this problem, and we still hope that the government will honour its commitment to this important information project,” concluded Mangion.