Fined for possession of protected species

A Zebbug man was fined Lm200 after being found guilty of having nine protected birds, including the national bird of Malta, the blue rock thrush.

Carmelo Borg, 43, was also found in possession of five bee eaters, a nightjar, a cuckoo and a scops owl.

Mark A. Buhagiar, of Luqa, was fined Lm300 after he was found in possession of about 250 birds, most of which were carcasses of illegally imported protected species.

Buhagiar was found guilty of working as a taxidermist without a licence and being in possession of protected species.

Anthony Vassallo, 23, from Mosta, was fined Lm150 after the police found over 300 cartridges, a bird caller and a bag full of decoys in his car while this was parked at Ta` Qali, a nature reserve.

Michael Zammit, 62, was also found guilty of having two electronic bird callers and a shotgun loaded with more than three cartridges at Ta` Qali.

Anthony Ciappara, 23, of Zejtun, was fined Lm100 after he was found guilty of being in possession of a gun and ammunition during the close season.

Joseph Vella, 62, of Sliema, was fined Lm150 for leaving his shotgun in a place where others could have access to it last April.

William Carabott, 20, of Marsaxlokk, was fined Lm50 after being found in possession of a grey heron, a protected species, on his boat.

Carabott told the court he had found the bird at sea and was made to pick it up by some hunters, whom he did not know. But the court said the possession of protected species was illegal and fined him the minimum amount of Lm50.

Magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona presided the sitting.

Inspector Alexander Miruzzi prosecuted.