Applications for licences for the next autumn trapping season have been accepted despite the fact that no announcement has been forthcoming from the government.
A notice on the hunters’ federation website informed members of “the agreement” reached with the Wild Birds Regulation Unit, set up with the aim of “regulating” hunting and trapping activities.
The FKNK said applications were being received by the unit until the end of July and listed the fees, saying the government unit was available to assist them in their queries.
This was backed by social media posts uploaded by Albert Pace, consultant to Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights Roderick Galdes.
Mr Pace is a former Labour MP and a licensed trapper and hunter, who posted a statement similar to the FKNK’s on Facebook, assisting trappers in their queries.
The informal announcements show the unit was working directly with the FKNK to facilitate applications despite the Office of the Prime Minister repeatedly saying it had not yet decided whether to open the next trapping season.
Licence fees were set at €55, based on an agreement with the FKNK that if the season is closed they would be paid back the fee pro rata.
The WBRU is staffed by FKNK former and current members, including Richard Lia and his brother Joseph, who was a council member of the hunters’ federation (FKNK) when he was recruited.
This newspaper had reported a conflict of interest related to the two brothers working in the same unit, breaching the public service management code.
These political games don’t help
Highlighted by The Sunday Times of Malta, their appointment was among other questionable recruitment decisions at the WBRU, which include its head, Sergei Golovkin, who was appointed without a call for applications.
The announcements are seen by critics as a reflection of the government’s intention to open the next trapping season despite the second warning given by the European Commission.
If the government decides to go ahead, the European Commission is expected to file charges against Malta in the European Court of Justice and potentially face a hefty fine.
Sources close to the government told this newspaper that the WBRU had accepted applications so that the administrative issues would be taken care of by the time the government announces the season. “It’s nothing more than a political game. It’s almost certain the government will decide to open the next season – it’s government policy,” he said.
Last May, the government’s advisory body – the Ornis Committee –approved an autumn finch trapping season. It was approved by five votes in favour, one abstention and one vote against.
Birdlife Malta voted against while the chairman abstained. The five votes in favour were all government appointees, showing it was a government decision to open the next season.
“The ways things are being done is a sign of bad governance. It’s in the interest of both trappers and conservationists to know what’s happening. These political games don’t help,” the source added.
Last year, over 8,000 trapping sites were registered. Questions sent to the WBRU asking how many sites were registered for the next season were not answered.
Last week, 52 juvenile songbirds imported illegally were confiscated from a Gozitan man, yet it is suspected that hundreds more continue to be sold because of a lack of rigorous checks by government officials.
The finches are used as decoys during trapping, showing preparation for the next season is in full swing.