The Ornis Committee meeting yesterday, voted unanimously to advise the government not to allow finch trapping in Malta, as per Malta's EU Accession Treaty negotiations, BirdLife Malta said. It welcomed the decision and said that Malta was finally sending an important message to Brussels that it would honour its Accession Treaty agreements.
The hunters' federation (FKNK) in a later statement said it did not attend the meeting after it received documented information from a department within the Office of the Prime Minister which led one to understand that the government had no intention of opening a finch trapping season from October, as the federation had proposed and as had been promised by the government itself.
Yesterday's committee meeting decided to allow the continuation of autumn trapping for four species that was not part of the Accession Treaty agreement. The species that can be trapped next autumn according to the Ornis Committee are Golden Plover and Song Thrush between 10th October and 10th January, and Turtle Dove and Common Quail between 1st September and 31st October.
"Since most of the trappers in Malta target finches, this means that large scale and widespread trapping will not continue," BirdlLife said.
"As for the trapping of four other species, we are expecting the Office of the Prime Minister to explain to the Ornis Committee how many trappers will be allowed to trap these four species and the strict conditions that would apply," said Geoffrey Saliba, BirdLife Malta's Campaigns Coordinator.
BirdLife said bird trapping is not allowed under the Birds Directive (2). The Accession Treaty negotiated by Malta on joining the European Union stipulated a five year phasing out period for the trapping of seven finch species which expired at the end of 2008.
BirdLife Malta representatives at the Ornis meeting argued that it would be advisable to know the details of a derogation to allow trapping of Golden Plover, Song Thrush, Turtle Dove and Common Quail before a vote on these seasons were taken. The Committee voted regardless, based on the Attorney General's statements that as the European Commission had not yet commented on the trapping of these species the trapping seasons for these species should remain open.
The Committee also agreed upon the autumn hunting season to run for five months from September 1 to January 31. Furthermore the Committee decided to advise the Office of the Prime Minister to ask the police whether the afternoon hunting ban during the peak raptor migration period in September should continue to help the police to carry out their duties of protecting these birds.
"The afternoon restriction on hunting for the two week period in September is vital to protecting birds of prey, which pass through Malta in large numbers at this time of year. They are very vulnerable to poachers in the afternoon, when they spend hours circling low over the countryside looking for a safe roost site.
"Our experience in the field over the last two years has shown that this ban has assisted the police to carry out their duties much more effectively and we expect it to continue until the illegal hunting situation in Malta is brought under control." Andre Raine, BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager said.
FKNK 'DISAPPOINTED'
The FKNK said it has written to the Prime Minister voicing its concerns, and a meeting with the Opposition Leader is expected in the forthcoming days.
"The Maltese trapper should not be treated as a second class European citizen... the FKNK will still do its utmost to ensure that this pass time, which forms an integral part of the way of life of the Maltese trapper, this traditional Maltese socio-cultural practice that dates back centuries, is not lost from the Maltese islands," FKNK secretary Lino Farrugia said.
He said that at committee meetings prior to yesterday’s, the FKNK had proposed the following hunting and capturing seasons for this autumn/winter:
Hunting from land for the 32 huntable species from 1st September to 31st January, and that this season should be fixed in local legislation as is in other countries.
Hunting at sea for the 12 duck and geese species from 1st October till the end of February. Capturing of turtle doves and quails from 1st September to 31st October. Capturing of golden plovers, lapwings, song thrushes, fieldfares, mistle thrushes, blackbirds, redwings and skylarks from 10th October to 31st January. Capturing of seven finch species from 1st October to 31st January.
Mr Farrugia said it appeared that the Ornis Committee yesterday decided to recommend the following to the Prime Minister: Hunting from land for the 32 huntable species, except for the turtle dove and the quail, from 1st September to 31st January, on the condition that government should seek the police advice on whether an afternoon hunting ban should again be imposed in the last fortnight of September. The ban was yet again put forward by the BirdLife Malta representatives on the Committee.
Hunting from land for turtle doves and quail from 1st September to 31st October, plus the same afternoon ban.
Hunting at sea for the 12 species of duck and geese from 1st October to 31st January. Capturing of the turtle dove and the quail from 1st September to 31st October on condition that government applies a derogation from the ‘Birds’ Directive to permit this season.
Capturing of golden plovers and song thrushes from 10th October to 10th January, again on condition that government applies a Derogation.
It appeared that the finch capturing issue was not even discussed at yesterday’s committee meeting, Mr Farrugia said.
"The FKNK is very disappointed with these recommendations when it sees that not even a single season as proposed by the Federation was recommended, however the FKNK is further upset over the recommendations of the afternoon ban and that the capturing will be conditioned by the application of derogations, Mr Farrugia said.