Two bird trappers had their hunting and trapping licences revoked today and were ordered to pay fines of €1,300 and €2,000, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter said.

It said a man from Gudja was found guilty of illegally trapping protected waders on July 27. The court heard that he had set up a large clap net on an island inside an artificial pond close to Gudja.

The trapping site was equipped with a number of plastic birds as well as live decoys and an electronic bird caller. The installation was found by CABS who reported the case to the police.

Officers from the Administrative Law Enforcement inspected the site and charged the poacher with trapping protected species. Magistrate Anthony Vella fined him €2,000 and revoked his hunting and trapping permits for three years.

In another case, a trapper was charged with trapping protected finches at Dingli during the closed season in March last year. He was filmed by CABS and later identified by the police on the basis of the footage.

He was fined €1,300 and his licences were revoked for two years. Magistrate Anthony Vella also ordered that his hunting and trapping licence shall be revoked for two years.

Police inspector Colin Sheldon prosecuted.