Trapping: EC wants proper enforcement
Trapping is generally prohibited in the EU. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
The European Commission has warned that a legal procedure started in 2010 against Malta over infringement of the EU’s trapping rules is still “active”.
The Commission will be closely monitoring what happens on the ground this year in its evaluation on whether to take the infringement procedure further, a Commission spokesperson said.
In the autumn season that opened last month, trappers were granted a derogation from the Birds Directive to allow the trapping of two species, the song thrush and golden plover.
The spokesperson said the Commission was “very aware” of the latest development and underlined the need for strict supervision of the rules.
Insisting that “trapping is generally prohibited” in the EU, and was only allowed in exceptional circumstances through a derogation, he underlined the need for proper enforcement by the authorities. “Any trapping derogation must be supported by a credible, strictly supervised enforcement system and therefore the Maltese authorities are required to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the limits of the derogation are observed and all the beneficiaries fully abide by all the applicable trapping regulation.”
Although granting a better deal to trappers than last year, with an additional species of bird to be trapped, the Government imposed stricter rules. The Times is informed that the rules were discussed with the Commission.
For the first time, national and daily bag limits were imposed by law and trappers need to get a special licence. According to the new rules, only 5,000 song thrush and 1,150 golden plovers can be caught and the season will come to an immediate end once the national quota is reached.
Trappers are also obliged to send an SMS every time they make a catch.
Asked whether the Commission had given the green light to the new season, the spokesperson avoided a reply and instead said the infringement started against Malta on the incorrect application of the derogation during previous years was still in force.
“The Commission will continue to closely monitor the situation and it will seek further information from the Maltese authorities on the matter with a view to taking any further steps that may be required.”
At this stage, the Commission can decide either to drop the procedure or to recommend that Malta be taken to court.
Commission sources said a decision would definitely be taken after the conclusion of this year’s trapping season in January.
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33 Comments
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ROBERT HIDE
Oct 9th 2012, 08:52
Trappers are also obliged to send an SMS every time they make a catch' WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH, these people aren't going to send an SMS it's not in their interest to do so. Which fool thought this up ? ! Trapping should be banned completely, it's the only way to stop it .
Mr Tony Gatt
Oct 9th 2012, 08:49
I woke up once more this morning to the sound of the intrepid hunters blasting at anything that flew past them. What joy!
E. Azzopardi
Oct 8th 2012, 18:51
Sorry guys, in my opinion ( not the only one) you will never get it. It seems we are incapable of this. It has happened year after year.
Therefore, there is only one solution: Abolish hunting and trapping outright.
Jay Oatmon
Oct 8th 2012, 18:10
My question is why do people want to capture wild birds and/or shoot them dead - to me this is not a normal activity for responsible adults.
Why is shooting at targets or clays not sufficient - the birds shot or trapped are not edible, so it is not trapping & hunting it is bird caging and bird killing.
J Vella
Oct 8th 2012, 16:29
If the EC kept an eye on greek finances in the last decade or more, the EU wouldnt have been in this financial mess. The EC is strong with the small and weak with the big.
G Caruana
Oct 8th 2012, 17:30
What do you mean ? , like a guy with a shotgun against a defenseless harmless bird?
Ramon Cassaro
Oct 8th 2012, 18:04
@ G Caruana,
Please read the story again because I think that you haven`t understood what it says , after all it`s about trapping and not hunting, and so no shotguns are used.
G Caruana
Oct 8th 2012, 19:01
I was only inquiring what J.Vella's Greek finances has to do with birds.
J Vella
Oct 8th 2012, 19:40
what do i mean? In Italy they have derogas that they can shoot 10 chaffinches a day for 3 months, here when we use to trap this species, i never trapped more than 10 in a whole season. And then our famous deroga is that we cant trap more then 6 thrushes the whole season!!!
G Caruana
Oct 8th 2012, 13:26
Dear European Commission haven't you issued enough warnings? Start fining Malta heavily & let the Maltese take care of the hunters.
Andrew Gatt
Oct 8th 2012, 14:53
Dear G Caruana haven's you read the article?
Read it again. It's about TRAPPING.
Duh.
Mr Anthony Formosa
Oct 8th 2012, 13:08
Wish there was the same enforcement from the EU on the killing of defenseless unborn.
Emanuel Curmi
Oct 8th 2012, 15:05
@Dear Mr. Formosa, you are being to sound like a stuck record. If you cannot contribute anything relevant to this particular subject please refrain from bringing matters up which have absolutely no bearing on the hunting and trapping in Malta. If you feel so strongly about the unborn, I am sure that GOL will welcome you in their ranks.
Mr Anthony Formosa
Oct 8th 2012, 17:45
Mr Curmi,
Perhaps you're right, how about trying to distinguish between hunting and trapping, and hunting and poaching, legally and illegally, powerful countries and weak countries, then I might change my old dusty record.
Emanuel Curmi
Oct 9th 2012, 09:55
@Dear Mr. Falzon. The theme has always been illegal hunting or trapping but since it seems that you process only an old dusty record, one can hardly expect you to come out with a different tune
Andrea Damato
Oct 8th 2012, 12:20
Does the European Commission 'closely' monitor the hundreds of derogations applied by large EU countries such as France, Italy and Spain? Amongst them trapping derogations for finches? ( which thanks to our government, in Malta is illegal). Or Malta is being harrassed and bullied by the EC just because we are a tiny island state with little or no say in the EU??
James McIntosh
Oct 8th 2012, 13:48
They monitor Malta because "you are Maltese and you do as you please". Has it not entered your brain yet that if it is against the rules then it is forbidden to transgress. Not maybe, or until I get caught, or I have friends of friends, or it doesn't mean me. It means EVERYBODY, and it means ALL OF THE TIME. Get wise or see the Government (read taxpayers) fined by European Law.
Mr Anthony Formosa
Oct 8th 2012, 15:10
Mr McIntosh, Why the European commission do not even try to amend the German law to protect raptors. Why in Italy song birds are legally shot and Maltese trappers cannot capture alive? I think it's more a matter of strong with the weak and weak with the strong. And what makes you think that illegalities do not happen elsewhere on a higher scale? In a recent meeting in Cyprus, Malta was not even considered as a hot spot for illegalities.
Jesmond Farrugia
Oct 8th 2012, 12:09
One way to effectively monitor and enforce the constraints of the derogation is to drastically limit where trapping can take place. Trapping should be banned in areas of outstanding scenic beauty, all valley systems and sensitive ecological areas, particularly coastal. It should be limited to areas such as Maghtab, where the land is land is either disturbed or rehabilitated. It will eventually die out, along with its practicioners if the associated costs are raised.
Andrew Gatt
Oct 8th 2012, 14:52
Yeah, and why not limit it to rooftops and roads while you're at it.
What a senseless comment.
Kola Farrugia
Oct 8th 2012, 11:29
Can anybody from the European Commision, Birdlife, Cabs FKNK or ORINIS tell us why the diffierence in regulations between Hunting and Trapping?
Andrea Damato
Oct 8th 2012, 11:16
''In the autumn season that opened last month, trappers were granted a derogation from the Birds Directive to allow the trapping of two species, the song thrush and golden plover.''
Just for precision sake, the autumn trapping season has not opened last month as wrongly stated in the above sentence of this article, but it's still due to open on the 20th of October, running till the 31 st December for the capturing of song thrush and till the 10 thof January for Golden Plover.
It's the autumn HUNTING season that opened last month on the 1 st of September!
Joe Naudi
Oct 8th 2012, 11:15
Hi They should ban trapping and all kind of bird hunting, once and for all. Birds have a right to live like US Humans. I do not call bird hunting a sport at all, killing innocent birds just for fun, BIRDS HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE LIKE US. BAN IT. JOE . P
May Cassar
Oct 8th 2012, 14:07
Totally agree, Birds have a right to Live, and those who are not bird killers have the right to enjoy seeing and hearing these lovely creatures.
V Mercieca
Oct 8th 2012, 11:09
Enforcement? The GonziPN government does not know the meaning of enforcement when it comes to strong lobby groups like the hunters and trappers.
GonziPN would rather pay the fines (out of our tax money) imposed by the EU to try to gain some lost votes from amongst the hunters and trappers.
R Mallia
Oct 8th 2012, 10:34
Oh great, we might pay fines from OUR taxes for something which I am completely against.. Thank you Dr.Gonzi.
Mr Anthony Formosa
Oct 8th 2012, 13:03
Don't worry about the money, either way the EU will take your money trapping or not.
R Mallia
Oct 8th 2012, 13:44
Sur Formosa, I am willing to pay for Education, Health, Roads, environment, pensions but never never never never for a hobby of some amateur wannabe chuck Norris shooters and trappers that are destroying our country.
John Dee
Oct 8th 2012, 10:09
Could someone please explain to me the rewards gained from trapping small helpless birds, then keeping them in 6 inch square cages (like one of my summer neighbours)?
anthony sultana
Oct 8th 2012, 10:00
Our int. birds really need help from Europe, because our government is incapable to protect our international birds.This morning I saw 6 sea birds [ cirlew] they were so beautiful with that red beak. I can't understand how some people want such beautiful birds dead dead.
M Rayner
Oct 8th 2012, 12:50
This morning I saw 6 sea birds [ cirlew],
Correction curlews have long thin brown beaks,Oyster catchers have red beaks, and are not sea birds but waders
anthony sultana
Oct 8th 2012, 14:06
M.Rayner
You are talking about difrent bird, I am 100% for sure it was cirlew prim. Look in the book L-GHasafar ta' Malta page 81 0n the Plate 5, bird no 18.so you learne more about our beautiful birds.
Andrew Portelli
Oct 9th 2012, 06:38
Lol you're confused by languages. : )
Please choose the reason of your report below: