I refer to the report entitled ‘Police failing to act over “massive” illegal night trapping – CABS’, which appeared on December 21.

Contrary to what was claimed in the article, the police administrative law enforcement unit (ALE) has always responded immediately to reports lodged by non-governmental organisations CABS and BirdLife Malta, a fact they could themselves confirm.

It must be pointed out that, on September 24, 2015, the police also acceded to a request to hold a joint operation with CABS.

That night, a number of bird callers used to trap quails were detected and duly disconnected.
Although the ALE does not routinely conduct night patrols on a regular basis, it nevertheless often patrolled the countryside at night.

It must also be pointed out that, although trapping at night does occur, it does not happen on the scale depicted by CABS.
On the night of November 26, 2015 the peak of the golden plover’s migration season, not a single bird caller was heard in Malta. Notwithstanding, the ALE managed to detect and act upon illegal trapping and hunting activities outside permitted hours.

Working hours have, in the meantime, also been adjusted so that the ALE’s duties could commence before the standard 5am with the sole purpose of curbing illegal trapping at night and, although the number of detected illegalities is low, it is still considered to be successful.

With regard to the illegal activity in a particular location in Delimara, it is not the first time that the people who were mentioned by CABS in the said report were investigated by the ALE and charges issued against them on numerous occasions. Also, with regard to the morning of December 9, 2015, the Gozitan ALE inspected the area known as l-Għadira ta’ San Rafflu, detecting a bird caller and identifying its owner in the process.

Moreover, hunting and trapping regulations are not only enforced by the ALE but also by the district police who have inspected a number of sites identifed by CABS, including Binġemma, Għargħur, Siġġiewi, Wied Garnaw and Tas-Silġ chapel.

The latter was, in fact, inspected on foot following a flat tyre and this happened on November 13, 2015, not November 15, 2015, as incorrectly stated by CABS in the report.