Angered by what they described as “an inside job” by hunters, bird conservationists walked out of a meeting that discussed a controversial finch trapping season. The move was later deplored by the Government.
The meeting of the Ornis Committee, a Government advisory body on hunting, yesterday had the opening of a trapping season on its agenda.
But in a scathing press statement, Birdlife, a bird conservation group, said the Ornis committee was presented with two proposals for a derogation to allow trapping of song thrush, golden plover and finches.
A limited trapping season for song thrush and golden plover had been granted last year but finch trapping has not been practised since 2009 after it was barred by EU regulations.
Birdlife said one of the proposals, to reopen a trapping season for song thrush and golden plover, was presented by Joseph Lia, a member of the Government’s Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) that oversees enforcement of hunting regulations.
Mr Lia was until recently listed on the hunting federation’s website as a council member for live-bird trapping.
The former FKNK official had also co-authored the federation’s proposal to seek a derogation for finch trapping, according to Birdlife. The controversial finch trapping proposal was yesterday presented to Ornis by the FKNK.
Nicholas Barbara, Birdlife’s conservation manager, objected to Mr Lia’s presentation in his capacity as special initiatives officer at the birds regulation unit. Describing Mr Lia’s position as being “too compromised to be credible”, Mr Barbara said this was more than just a conflict of interest.
“It seems the pre-election deal negotiated by the FKNK has given them their own governmental body to implement their proposals on hunting and trapping,” he charged.
Birdlife refused to be party to the discussions about the proposals tabled by the regulation unit and FKNK, he added.
Mr Barbara withdrew from the meeting after presenting Birdlife’s concerns to the committee members and chairperson.
The Government clarified that the proposal for the application of a derogation was made by the FKNK. The Government, through the WBRU, presented a technical assessment of that proposal.
In its statement it deplored the “unethical and discriminatory” stand adopted by Birdlife, which it said had chosen to discriminate against a public sector employee because of his legitimate past affiliation with a voluntary organisation.
The Constitution, it said, guaranteed freedom of association.
Precluding Mr Lia from being appointed to his new role would have been unconstitutional, as would have rejecting consideration of the WBRU’s technical assessment of the FKNK’s proposal due to his presence, as ruled by the chairman.
Birdlife recently criticised the political appointment of staff to the new unit, which was formed as a one-stop-shop on hunting and trapping issues.
Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes had defended the decision, refuting any political connection.
The Ornis committee can only advise the Government on hunting issues and the final decision to legislate rests with Mr Galdes, who can choose to ignore any recommendations made.