BirdLife sets up billboards against trapping

S Mizzi

Feb 3rd 2009, 09:20

Nobody has answered my questions yet. Where are the the people that so vociferously condemn hunting and trapping on this medium? What is the ToM's opinion? Answer my question if you can!
If 'trapping is illegal in the EU under the Birds Directive', then why is it permitted in France, Spain, Italy and Austria?
Have you checked your facts before reporting such sweeping statements ToM?
Why can Spanish and Austrian trappers practise their passion of finch trapping on the SAME finch species and using the SAME clap-net system used in Malta whilst their Maltese counterparts cannot?
Why are French and Italian trappers allowed to trap thrushes, lapwings, turtle doves, quail, lapwings etc whilst this has been outlawed in Malta?

Simon Vella

Feb 2nd 2009, 21:07

I would love to see some bill boards with the letter and Guarantee that Dr Eddie Fenech Adami sent to each and every hunter and trapper before the Referendum, were he gave us his guarantee and word of honour that we continue Spring hunting and trappers will continue to hunt after we become full members of the EU....

S Mizzi

Feb 2nd 2009, 09:55

If 'trapping is illegal in the EU under the Birds Directive'
Then why is it permitted in France, Spain, Italy and Austria?

If the 'period to gradually phase out trapping until the end of 2008' is now up and trapping has been stopped then why spend the money? Isn't it akin to placing an advert to sell one's car after one has already sold it?

johny xerri

Feb 1st 2009, 11:41

Why weren't these nice illustrative bill boards not set up before eu referendum.

Why is mepa conributing for these bill boards when mepa has been entrusted with the trapping/hunting issue long befoe the eu referendum.

Are these bill boards going to be placed in every eu country to oppose trapping in say Spain Italy, Austria, Belgium....

& then blame the trappers hunters for being upset......
What goes around comes around....
But I would never encourage vandalism of such bill boards, they are for education purposes. They are going to educate trappers & hunters much more than any MIC & govt promise, Only now are the trapping ? hunting fraternity being eductaed on how much the govt took them for a ride

S Schembri

Feb 1st 2009, 10:47

I suggest that they should be guarded by a web cam because for sure that they will not last long.

malcolm said

Feb 1st 2009, 07:17

Well done birdlife....... you put 3 finches on the billboards as this is the only way the general public will know how these finches really are as in the maltese countryside no live finches can be seen!!! Why dont you tell to everybody that trapping or not no finches will breed here as we have a very arrid summer? Why do you insist with your lies??? the only way to see finches is to go with a trapper and see them migrate and attracted nearby. Are you going to fill the maltese valleys with water in summer?? Even the nature reserve at Ghadira....its the only nature reserve in the world that dries out in summer:) So how can these birds breed and raise their young here in summer? I went to france time ago in late may, st enemmie region, saw many chaffinches breeding and serins and hawfinches also but everywhere I went I saw rivers and pools full of fresh water. Thats the reason Birdlife!!!!! In Malta....no water no baby birdies!! Just one last question.....how much nesting pairs of linnets you reported these 3 years as trapping was not allowed in march?? no need for an answer!!!!

malcolm seychell

Jan 31st 2009, 23:26

Thousands of people are losing their job in Europe, and Brussels is spending our taxes to keep on doing its propaganda.

We can use our taxes much better, especially helping people who ended or will end up soon without a job.

mario attard

Jan 31st 2009, 23:09

Birdlife said that the project will also highlight the negative impacts on bird trapping on Malta`s breeding birds and the natural environment, could someone out there ,tells me why does the robins ,white wagtails,starlings,meadow pipets,skylarksand a dozen more birds spend 6 months in Malta but when nesting(breeding) times come they all leave to mainland Europe and breed there,I think that something is wrong here maybe too hot for them or not enough food for them,so how come that Birdlife are expecting these finches to nest(breed) in Malta.

salvu abela

Jan 31st 2009, 22:54

BIRDLIFE said trapping is illegal in the EU under the BIRDS DIRECTIVE,so why trapping is done in Spain,maybe because it is a bigger country or maybe because Malta is calculated as second class country, just look at these youtube videos to see bird trapping done in Spain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPvxloggl0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1l8qsxmE8U&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly5NRNHfEwk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytkTjRRMBRU&feature=related

jesmond zammit

Jan 31st 2009, 22:42

by the way those 3 birds on top of the billboard all illegal because the law state that nothing has to be added to billboards sizes

J Xuereb

Jan 31st 2009, 19:50

The project is 50% funded by the EU LIFE Unit with additional contributions from MEPA....

So the trappers are part paying for these billboards!!!

Raymond Sammut

Jan 31st 2009, 19:48

"Gawdihom hielsa" may, in fact, be a contradiction. In my view, here could lie the crux of the problem. So long as these wild birds are free (as nature had meant them to be), on Malta they can be enjoyed but fleetingly.

According to people who have a good understanding, including trappers, these birds stay on Malta only for very short durations until they can feed before proceeding with their long migratory journey. Hence the very strong temptation (and a long held tradition, although not necessarily acceptable) to trap them.

Trapping wild birds on Malta could be acceptable given certain conditions. Trappers would be required to use only appropriate methods and equipment, and at designated areas. Trapped birds should be tagged, recorded, and released, and only a limited proportion can be retained. Wild birds that are retained can be displayed to the community to promote the appreciation and understanding of these birds.

Trappers acting unilaterally and without restraint, even if on their own private land, make the general public suspicious, and attract disapproval.

m.vassallo

Jan 31st 2009, 19:37

very funny.can our famous eu allocate money better rather than splashing it on these nonsense billboards. would have been much better for such funds to be spent on our disastrous roads rather than beefing up these extremists.sad,very sad for our small islands.

J. Borg

Jan 31st 2009, 19:33

I cannot stand hunting & trapping....
but i believe BL can deploy same funds more usefully

Derek Steele

Jan 31st 2009, 18:50

Perhaps they have hidden camera?

P Borg

Jan 31st 2009, 18:29

lol franco i wouldnt bet 1 eurocent ... i think that is the main reason for them being set up... then we'll have the usual condemnations etc etc etc...

lol

Franco Farrugia

Jan 31st 2009, 18:06

How much money shall we bet that these boards will soon be vandalised?