Trappers’ nets with holes just over a centimetre bigger than those used in the recently-outlawed finch trapping will likely see the practice return for two other species this year, Times of Malta has learnt.
Sources on the government’s consultative Ornis committee said on Friday members agreed to push for trappers to be allowed to catch song thrush and golden plover.
The move comes just one month after the European Court of Justice ruled that Malta was violating EU rules by allowing finch trapping.
Read: Ornis Committee wants autumn trapping, despite ECJ ruling on finches
Malta has regularly applied for two separate derogations (legal exceptions) on trapping – one on finch trapping, which has now be deemed illegal by the Strasbourg court, and another on song thrush and golden plover.
The second trapping exemption is subject to EU infringement proceedings but has not yet been brought before the EU court.
I mean, can you imagine the police visiting trapping sites with a ruler to measure centimetres and millimetres
This, the sources said, meant Malta could still apply for the practice to go ahead. They told the Times of Malta the move to allow the two other species to be trapped raised various concerns, ranging from selectivity to abuse and enforcement.
“We don’t know what other species will be caught in these ‘wider’ nets and we have reservations as to whether trappers will use smaller nets and catch protected finches anyway. I mean, can you imagine the police visiting trapping sites with a ruler to measure centimetres and millimetres,” the sources remarked.
No more bird trapping in Malta, European court decides
In a statement, the hunters’ federation, FKNK, expressed satisfaction the Ornis committee had approved its proposal to recommend the government apply a derogation from the EU Birds Directive for the autumn trapping season.
The Ornis committee will now be recommending that the authorities amend regulations to forbid nets with holes smaller than 45mm. Those used to capture protected finches are normally 30mm wide.
It is also recommending that the authorities only allow trappers to operate one site rather than two, as had been the case in previous years. Trappers will be expected to keep any unused trapping sites covered.
The FKNK said it wanted more police oversight, adding that anyone with a general trapping licence should be allowed to trap song thrush and golden plover.
In an opinion piece, Animal Rights parliamentary secretary Clint Camilleri said the ruling on trapping was targeted at the derogation on seven species of finches and not trapping in general.
Although the ruling was not appealable, the government was studying it and discussing the matter with its legal team.