Environment Minister Mario de Marco said yesterday that he would look into proposals for an expanded Capture Breeding Programme and the setting up of a Bird Migration Research Centre as a means of bringing together ornithologists and trappers.
The minister was replying to questions in parliament by Nationalist MP Franco Debono, who said that both initiatives could justify a derogation for controlled trapping.
The European Commission earlier this week warned Malta not to allow trapping this autumn, saying that a derogation had not been justified.
The issue was raised in parliament by Labour MP Anthony Agius Decelis, who asked if the trappers would get refunds of their licences.
The minister said information was still being collected.
Dr Debono said a derogation for trapping could be linked to a Capture Breeding Programme which could be a joint venture between the government and the private sector, including trappers – who would contribute part of their catch to the project so that there could be a strong genetic pool of song birds.
Unfortunately, he said, the Capture Breeding Programme which he had seen at Ghammieri Farm was far too small to be relevant for the purposes of the derogation. Had Malta faced the EU action because of this failure?
Dr Debono said he was also suggesting the setting up of a research centre on bird migration involving ornithologists and trappers, who would also be required to be involved in bird ringing before birds were let off again. In this way the enthusiasm of the trappers would be channelled to the environment, who would also contribute to research.
Dr de Marco said these were valid suggestions which would be considered further. Bird ringing, he said, was a delicate issue and the number of ringers one could have in a territory had to be limited, but it was good to involve both ornithologists and hunters in an area where both could learn from.
Dr Debono noted that a consultation document on Malta's biodiversity had just been issued by the government. This was a praiseworthy initiative and the research centre could fall within in.
He recalled that as parliamentary assistant, he had been working on a project to reintroduce the Barn Owl to Malta after it disappeared from these islands some 20 years ago, mostly as a result of hunting. The project, he said, was also to have involved Wastserv seen the Barn Owl feeds on rodents – which are found in dumps.
He said he was confident that many trappers could be encouraged to involve themselves in bird ringing, especially as many were very knowledgeable about migration. Getting ornithologists and trappers to work together would not be easy, but he did not think it would be impossible.
Dr de Marco agreed that the research centre could be a proposal within the biodiversity strategy. Malta, he said, had rich diversity but there were threats that stemmed from development, climate change, exploitation, noise, light and other factors. Several species had disappeared, or almost disappeared, and concerted action was therefore needed. The same applied to the sea, which was why four marine conservation areas had been designated.
Dr Debono said one should also consider the possibility of establishing viable colonies of song birds and practically all were currently migratory.