Updated 8.30 p.m.
The FKNK hunters' federation and St Hubert's Hunters Association this evening condemned illegalities after Cabs - the Committee Against Bird Slaughter - reported a massive increase in illegal finch trapping in spring.
The committee said that despite only 30% of Malta and Gozo being covered by the flight a total of 127 active clap netting sites were photographed in an aerial survey it had carried out. During a similar count last year only 51 sites could be located on 30% of the islands.
Cabs said that nearly all of the sites spotted this spring had also been found active in October, when trapping was allowed by the government.
"The derogation for trapping in autumn revived the black market for live songbirds and led to a massive increase in prices which in turn also encouraged illegal trapping in spring.", Cabs Wildlife Crime Officer Fiona Burrows said. She pointed out that the opening of the trapping season last autumn also led to a massive increase in the smuggling of protected finches from Italy with at least 2093 birds seized by the authorities in only six months.
Cabs said that in the last two weeks its teams were monitoring the sites on the ground.
"When we see somebody trapping we gather video evidence and call the police", Ms. Burrows added. So far the police have been called 11 times resulting in the apprehension of seven poachers and the seizure of seven pairs of clap nets. Several electronic bird callers were also found and confiscated. A total of 18 live birds - Linnets and Greenfinch- were confiscated.
The worst areas for illegal trapping were Dingli (20 sites), Birzebugga (11 sites), Fawarra (9 sites), Zurrieq (8 sites), Bahrija (6 sites), Zejtun (5 sites) and Gozo (32 sites). 'We have been informed that many Maltese trappers go to Gozo to trap, since there is no ALE there", Fiona Burrows said.
According to Cabs the average police response time was better than last spring, leading to more trappers being caught on site.
However, trapping equipment and decoy birds were only confiscated by police when the trapper escaped.
"The police told us that since autumns open season for finches it is now allowed to possess nets with small mesh size, and possession of ringed finches is also allowed, so confiscation of these items, even if found active in spring, is not always possible," Ms Burrows said.
This loophole means that since the equipment is still in their possession the trappers have the possibility to continue illegally trapping, Cabs said.
Cabs said that it would continue monitoring the sites until the end of finch migration in April. It calls on the general public to report all bird trapping sites found active in spring to the police. People who want to stay anonymous can also sent their information by email to cabs-malta@komitee.de.
HUNTERS' CONDEMNATION
In a statement, St Hubert's Hunters Association referred to the Cabs statement and said it unreservedly reiterated its condemnation of any illegal activity.
"It is inconceivable that some still persist with flouting the law to the detriment of all law abiding hunters and trappers."
It hoped that the perpetrators would be brought to justice and that the stiffest highest penalties for the crime would be imposed.
"KSU maintains its full cooperation with the enforcement authorities towards eradicating an undesirable element of Maltese society that consider themselves above the law and lauds all genuine efforts to arrive at this goal."
The FKNK, in a separate statement a few minutes later also condemned the case and said any illegal act that may be committed reflected very badly on the thousands of trappers and hunters who observed the law.
It said it would continue to push for zero tolerance.