BirdLife Malta, in a statement has said that the 2019 trapping season, which opened last Sunday, introduced a number of changes, which according to the eNGO, “are based on trappers’ demands, not facts.”

BLM said that these include an extension of ten days to the trapping season particularly targeting Golden Plover (Pluviera), and a decrease in mesh size of nets used for Song Thrush (Malvizz).

BirdLife went on to say that, “the original changes to trapping legislation which were initially presented to Ornis earlier this year following complaints by the European Commission, and which WBRU had planned to address were eventually withdrawn, “clearly implying that the Government bowed to political pressure from the trapping lobby.”

BirdLife Malta, in May this year, presented its results from fieldwork carried out during the trapping season of 2018 to the EC’s Directorate- General for the Environment.

It said that this showed “82.8% of surveyed trapping sites in 2018 were illegally targeting finches or other species not permitted by the derogation. 57.5% of surveyed trapping sites found to be active were also operating illegally in areas unauthorised by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU).”

BLM explained that “the last exercise was possible by comparing aerial photographs taken during the season, with locations published by WBRU.”According to BirdLife, some of the measures that WBRU planned to address included a reduction in the maximum area for a trapping site targeting Song Thrush, and a reduction by 41 days dedicated to trapping Song Thrush.

However, it said, “in subsequent meetings WBRU withdrew such proposals without any reasoning, a clear indication that discussions behind closed doors between the Government and the trapping lobby had taken place, with the Government giving in to the lobby’s pressure.”

BLM argued that the proposals that were finally forwarded and voted upon by Ornis Committee “represented what the trapping lobby had insisted upon, and was not based on any conservation or scientific facts.”

“Overall the season has not seen any kind of reduction in trapping effort, rather this was increased,” it said.

With the opening of the season by the Government, Malta risks being referred once again to the European Court of Justice. The trapping derogation for both these species is still under Infringement Proceedings initiated by the European Commission in 2011.

BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager Nicholas Barbara stated, “with a trapping season in 2018 already having resulted in a good percentage of trapping sites operating illegally, the changes introduced this year – namely an extension to the days trappers are allowed to operate, and to make matters worse with the possibility of using nets with a finer mesh – will only add to an overall increased catch effort on Song Thrush, Golden Plover as well as allowing a greater possibility for trappers to illegally net finches, especially the larger species such as Hawfinch.”

He stressed that “instead of ensuring stricter control, the measures enacted this year are only targeted to allow more trapping. Various issues remain unaddressed including the indiscriminate use of bird callers, and the insufficient coverage by police on Gozo and Malta to execute spot checks.”

A recommendation for the setting up of a Wildlife Crime Unit filed with Parliamentary Secretary Clint Camilleri remains unacted upon, he said.

BirdLife Malta reiterated its position that the “trapping derogation remains unsustainable and calls on the Maltese Government to not risk Malta being taken back to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) just to appease a lobby which insists in opening trapping seasons irrespective of repercussions.”

BirdLife added that, “just last Friday, in a statement FKNK declared it will keep working with the Government to get back finch trapping and spring hunting of Turtle Dove.”

The eNGO concluded by saying that “such statements show nothing but an egoistic approach to the use of our countryside and the protection of wild birds.”

Photos: Golden Plover (Photo by Denis Cachia) and Song Thrush by BirdLife Malta

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