UPDATED: BirdLife calls for more nature conservation areas

(Adds MEPA reaction)

The Maltese government continues to fail its citizens by falling short of EU requirements for nature conservation sites on the island, BirdLife Malta asserted today.

"It is unacceptable that the Maltese government continues to drag its feet by failing to designate all of our internationally Important Bird Areas (IBAs) into Special Protection Areas, as required by EU legislation," BirdLife Malta's Executive Director Tolga Temuge said.

"The IBAs in question are actually very small areas and are internationally important for sea-birds. What confounds matters further is that Prime Minister Gonzi had placed the environment as a top priority for his current administration, going as far as to absorb part of the portfolio under his direct competence. The question therefore arises as to when this government is going to put words into action."

BirdLife pointed to Ta' Cenc in Gozo as being a case in point, as it is one of the six IBAs which are only partially covered by SPA status. The Ta' Cenc cliffs are home to a number of rare endemic plant species and significant numbers of breeding birds, including several rare or declining species. In particular, Ta' Cenc is renowned for its internationally important breeding colonies of seabirds, including the largest breeding colony of Cory's Shearwater (Ciefa) in the Maltese islands, 150-300 pairs of Yelkouan Shearwater (Garnija), and the only colony of European Storm-petrels (Kangu ta' Filfla) outside of Filfla.

The comments were made in the context of an EU review of the Natura 2000 environmental initiatives at conference in Bonn.

In a reaction, the Malta Environment & Planning Authority (MEPA) categorically denied that Malta is falling short of EU requirements for nature conservation sites.

"On the contrary, Malta as clearly indicated by the European Topic Centre for the EU Commission, has been actively working on nature conservation areas, and is in fact the most advanced of the EU members states that acceding the EU in 2004."

MEPA said Malta had designated as much as 15% of its territory as protected in terms of nature protection considerations, particularly in relation to the EU’s Natura 2000 Network, a network of areas housing important habitats and species set by the EC Birds and Habitats Directives.

"This is considerably high, also noting the small size of the Maltese Islands, and its high population density."

With respect to the ‘Important Bird Areas’ (IBAs) identified by BirdLife (Malta),MEPA noted that Malta has designated 12 Special Protection Areas, covering a total area of 1,434.2 hectares. This was in comparison to the Important Bird Areas (IBAs) as identified by BirdLife (Malta) in its 2004 report that only covered a total area of approximately 480 hectares.

"With respect to the claim made by BirdLife (Malta) in connection with the cliffs of Ta' Ċenċ in Gozo, it should be noted that this site has already been declared as a Natura 2000 site in 2006, and nationally protected as a SPA in 2007. Similarly, the rare endemic plant species and breeding birds found in the area are all legally protected in terms of the Flora, Fauna and Natural Habitats Protection Regulations, 2006 and the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations, 2006." MEPA said.