NO FINCH TRAPPING IN MALTA THIS AUTUMN
Maltese bird
trappers who had high hopes that they would be allowed
to start trapping during the coming
October and November, have
been told that this year there will
be no finch-trapping but that
the government is preparing for next
year’s season.
The trappers
were notified by the Hunting Federation FKNK that the autumn season for
finch-trapping would not be opened this year. According to the FKNK a delegation met the Environment Minister Leo Brincat and Parliamentary
Secretary for Animal Rights Roderick Galdes earlier this week and was informed of the government's
decision.
In order to pacify the angry trappers the Federation argued that the government didn't have enough time to apply this year's derogation correctly
and preferred to work on next year's, rather than do things hastily and risk receiving
a total ban from the EU.
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| A trapping net used by hunters |
However, the
Federation assured its members that it had
submitted its proposals in plenty of time to both the government and opposition
for the correct application of the derogation which would allow Malta to open
the autumn season. This indicates that the Federation is putting the ball firmly back in the politicians’ court.
Last year, the
governing Nationalist Party applied a derogation of EU law to
allow the trapping of song thrush and golden plover, a decision which was
contested by the European Commission. During the election campaign the labour Government had
raised high hopes among the hunters and trappers that a derogation would be sought. The angry trappers feel betrayed by the politicians.
In a meeting I
had recently with the Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights he made it
clear that any illegal hunting would be met with zero tolerance.
