The ducks at il-Magħluq in Marsascala are being transferred to Manoel Island as part of a plan to conserve the Natura 2000 site at the former.

The lagoon, home to the endangered Maltese killifish, will also be assessed in the coming weeks to see if the accumulated debris can be dredged, a spokeswoman for the Infrastructure Ministry said.

These are two of the measures being implemented by the Marine, Storm Water and Valley Management Unit, the Works and Infrastructure Department and the planning authority to improve the environmental status of the coastal saline wetland Il-Magħluq tal-Baħar ta’ Marsaskala.

There have been repeated appeals to save the marshland.

Last October, the local council and Nature Trust warned that if the authorities did not take immediate action, they would close the area. However, Mepa told this newspaper it had a plan to conserve the area, including removing the ducks from il-Magħluq.

The Natura 2000 site, designated as a Special Area of Conservation, is one of the few marshland communities on the islands that support a number of vulnerable and restricted floral species. It is also one of the few coastal habitats hosting the locally dwindling population of the killifish, il-Bużaqq.

The Infrastructure Ministry spokeswoman said that one of the actions to improve the site taking place this week was the re-location of the domesticated waterfowl.

The introduction of this persistent bird population led to several issues which contributed to the degradation of the protected site.

“Their undigested food and excrement is polluting the wetland’s environment and contributing to the foul odours in the area. Additionally, their eggs and undigested food are possibly attracting rodents to the site and its environs,” she said.

The ducks are being quarantined and tested for any infectious diseases, and the cleared ones will be relocated to the ducks’ village in Manoel Island. Following their removal, the ministry will kick off a pest control programme targeting the rodent infestation.

The construction of Triq il-Qalet in the early 1990s and the natural accumulation of silt and sediment were leading to reduced water circulation in the ponds, the ministry said.

Apart from emitting foul odours, the reduced circulation resulted in lower dissolved oxygen levels and higher salinity levels and water temperatures, especially during summer, negatively impacting the vulnerable killifish population.

The ministry said it will be carrying out an appropriate assessment study in the coming weeks to identify the feasibility and potential impacts of dredging the accumulated debris in the ponds.

The underwater pipes connecting the marshland with the sea are in the meantime being cleaned periodically to allow for better circulation.