BirdLife’s AGM calls for Wildlife Crime Unit and no 2020 spring hunting

by Gozo News · October 19, 2019

On Friday, BirdLife Malta held its 57th Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 2019 at its Salina Nature Reserve.

BirdLife Malta members approved a Resolution calling on the Government to establish a Wildlife Crime Unit, and refrain from opening next year’s spring hunting season even for Quail (Summien).

BirdLife Malta Secretary General Saviour Balzan opened the AGM and in his address he outlined the work carried out by the environmental NGO during the past year, including the efforts made to increase people engagement, membership and visibility, together with the several initiatives taken on a conservation, educational, land management and policy level.

He also spoke about the present projects BirdLife Malta is leading, which include BirdLife Malta’s LIFE Arcipelagu Garnija project, and also about other projects which are in the pipeline.

Particular emphasis was made on the investment being made to make the eNGO’s nature reserves more “visitor-friendly” and Balzan mentioned how the number of visitors to these sites – including school children – has increased in the past year.

With the AGM being held just a few days before the start of this year’s trapping season, which opens this Sunday, in his introduction Saviour Balzan also referred to the “continuous monitoring of illegal hunting and trapping activities and promised that BirdLife Malta will continue to push the authorities for the establishment of the much-needed Wildlife Crime Unit.”

The BirdLife Malta Secretary General in conclusion, set three main targets for the upcoming year: the consolidation of Salina, the most recent land management project entrusted to BirdLife Malta, as a nature reserve; more work to increase membership and volunteers within BirdLife Malta and; exploring new sources of financing for the NGO.

Following the approval of last year’s AGM minutes, BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana then presented the 2018 Operational Report & Financial Statements, which were approved by BirdLife Malta members at the meeting.

BirdLife Malta said that there was then the presentation of a special award to Raymond Vella, who has just retired following 15 years of sterling service as a ranger and warden at its nature reserves

Vella was honoured with BirdLife International’s Nature’s Hero award for 2019. This annual award is bestowed in recognition to outstanding commitment to conservation and helping local communities work in harmony with nature.

The eNGO explained that “through his outstanding career, Ray has done it all. From caretaking biodiversity to planting trees, from recovering injured birds to playing an important role in the day-to-day running of nature reserves with a special focus on Foresta 2000.

“His passion and dedication, however, were not appreciated by all. Ray was targeted by hunters and had his farm torched. He faced intimidation tactics…from vandalism to harassment and was even shot at twice.”

The new BirdLife Malta Council for the upcoming two years was also approved. BirdLife Malta received 11 candidate applications for the Council election and as per statute this is the number of members that constitute the BirdLife Malta Council, which meant that there was no need to hold an election during the AGM.

The newly-formed council will elect the President, Secretary General and Treasurer during the first meeting. The elected Council members are:

Saviour Balzan

Miriam Camilleri

Denise Casolani

Norman Chetcuti

Marvic Doughty

Kathleen Galea

Nicholas Galea

Raymond Galea

Darryl Grima

Eurydike Kovacs

Paul Portelli.

Following this, CEO Mark Sultana presented to members the renewed BirdLife Malta Strategy 2020-22 before BirdLife Malta President Darryl Grima brought the AGM to a close with a short address.

A number of videos were also shown to the audience during the meeting, including a feature about the latest illegally shot protected birds which were released back to the wild by BirdLife Malta following a period of rehabilitation.