BirdLife hits out at Abela over bird ringing decision
'Abela’s decision undermines decades of credible ornithological research'
BirdLife Malta has hit out at the prime minister after the government changed the law to make it easier for hunters and trappers to carry out bird ringing. They no longer need to obtain rings from BirdLife.
"The Prime Minister’s decision to weaken the laws regulating scientific bird ringing in a clear step to pacify the hunters’ lobby and to disguise illegal bird trapping as a scientific ringing project," BirdLife said.
"Abela’s decision undermines decades of credible ornithological research and damages Malta’s long-standing reputation in bird studies. It also breaks away from an understanding that was upheld by Prime Ministers Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Alfred Sant, Eddie Fenech Adami, Lawrence Gonzi and Joseph Muscat that appreciated the importance of retaining bird ringing science to a conservation body."
It said this decision confirmed Abela's superficial understanding of environmental conservation and his willingness to do anything to 'suck up' to the hunting lobby.
BirdLife Malta Chief Executive Mark Sultana said ministers who truly understood the implications of these changes should speak up and not remain silent.
The NGO said the legislative changes would allow bird trappers to be easily declared as “scientific bird ringers,” an attempt to disguise illegal trapping as legitimate research.
"This desperate move not only seeks to deceive the European Commission into believing the scheme is scientific – it also opens the door to further abuse,"it argued.
Birdlife said this ill-conceived plan is destined to fail. Scientific bird ringing is only credible when carried out within the EURING network, the only recognised European framework for bird ringing. Any attempt to operate outside this network will produce meaningless data and expose Malta to further ridicule and sanctions, it said.
ADPD also criticises the government's decision
The ADPD political party also criticised the government's decision. Spokesperson Mark Zerafa said the trapping season is in and of itself unlawful, and the government was now even weakening the regulations regulating an unlawful practice.
"The European Court of Justice (ECJ) found that Malta’s previous derogation for finch-trapping under the Birds Directive was unlawful: Malta failed to demonstrate a genuine scientific purpose and proper control. Despite this ECJ ruling, the Government continues to open trapping seasons for songbirds and golden plover under the guise of “research”. It is making a mockery out of the scientific practice of ringing by vandalising the legal notice regulating bird ringing to appease trappers," he said in a statement.
Party Secretary General Ralph Cassar added that the government’s stated objective of supporting so-called ‘traditional hobbies’ was evidently being placed ahead of the interests of the Maltese.