Anyone caught shooting or trapping protected bird species will face a €5,000 fine and a year in jail. Photo: Jason BorgPenalties for illegal shooting or seizing protected birds increased “tenfold” from yesterday after the government published an amendment to the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations.
Anyone convicted of shooting or trapping protected species listed in Schedules I and IX of these regulations, but excluding “huntable species” in Schedule II, will automatically face a €5,000 fine and/or imprisonment for one year.
The penalty includes a permanent revocation or ban on obtaining a hunting or trapping license and confiscation of their weapon.
For subsequent offences, the penalty will go up to €10,000 and will include weapon confiscation and/or two years’ imprisonment.
The news comes after Lee Grima, 24, admitted shooting a black-winged stilt on Monday. Last Saturday, at least two protected white storks were also killed by poachers in the Salina area.
Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes said the recent spate of highly protected birds being targeted demonstrated that despite previous increases in legal deterrents and improvements in enforcement, the problem still needed to be addressed.
“These harsher penalties are definitely expected to have a huge effect on overall enforcement. But legal deterrents alone would not be enough.
“Increase in penalties forms part of a broader package of measures that would, collectively, help stamp out illegal targeting of highly protected birds.”
He said a “comprehensive drive” will be launched in the coming months to crack down on illegal taxidermy and trade in protected wild birds, which were among the main motives for poaching.
However, eradicating abuse required government collaboration with all sectors, including voluntary organisations, he said.
“For far too long, the sector was defined by extreme polarisation and division amongst hunting organisations and other conservation NGOs. This polarisation and divisiveness are among the main causes of problems today.”