Maltese trappers and science cannot cohabit

Lino Farrugia as representative of the hunting lobby (FKNK) went into overdrive in MaltaToday repeating the same arguments his hunting group have advocated for the last 50 years.

The moral of his opinion is very simple – retain trapping for finches in Malta and to justify this give trappers the right to carry out scientific research.

Farrugia accused BirdLife Malta of “perceiving itself as the sole local authority on them (birds)”. That claim struck me as rich, coming from a representative of a lobby whose members believe it is their God-given right to hunt or trap birds from our skies and countryside through killing or trapping without impunity.

I agree these birds belong to everyone. It follows that everyone should have the opportunity to appreciate them, watch and enjoy them – and for scientific research to be carried out by ethically responsible and trained individuals.

Farrugia focused primarily on BirdLife’s Malta’s ringing scheme, placing emphasis on the history behind the establishment of this scientific project. While I will not delve into the merits of that history, it is clear Lino Farrugia and his lfederation are anchored in the past, seemingly oblivious to the realities of the present.

In an era where the word sustainability is a key element in every other conversation, I am proud to say that BirdLife Malta – formerly the Malta Ornithological Society (MOS) – has evolved into a strong, credible and ethical environmental organisation.

From the establishment of the bird ringing scheme until today, things have evolved significantly in all aspects, including legislation. However, Farrugia seems to have overlooked an important development – while in the past a licensed hunter or trapper could not obtain a bird ringing licence, BirdLife Malta agreed to a change in the law.

Today, BirdLife Malta’s ringing scheme already allows for licensed trappers to be licensed as bird ringers. My point is that, as time progresses, so too must the state of affairs. Those who cling to outdated notions and refuse to adapt are bound to fail miserably as they distance themselves further from reality. Yet, Lino Farrugia forgets to mention a very valid point; today, Malta allows trapping in open defiance of executive decisions taken at every level of European institutions. I reiterate again; it is only a matter of time when trapping in Malta will be a thing of the past.

The same principle applies to other derogations from the EU Birds Directive regarding spring hunting. It is only a matter of time before these activities expire. The only reason they persist is that our government insists on ignoring the spirit of European laws and the two major political parties are paralysed by the perceived voting threat of the hunting lobby and lack the resolve to calibrate Malta’s environmental standing.

BirdLife Malta’s ringing scheme is celebrating its 60th anniversary – a significant milestone. Over these six decades, the scheme has grown immensely, continually developing, and building a solid reputation as a top-tier, credible scientific initiative. It is fitting to acknowledge and praise the foresight of those who laid the foundations of this scheme. They have undoubtedly left an enduring legacy for our country, and for the European ornithological scientific community. Lino Farrugia sought to remind everyone that my late father, Joe Sultana – who played a pivotal role in the creation of this scheme – was once a hunter. Indeed, he was.

This fact only reinforces my arguments about the importance of organisations, activities, legislation, and even individuals evolving over time.

Our country began to progress, recognising the need to legislate for the protection of birds and our natural heritage. This progress was largely thanks to the tireless efforts of the MOS and few other environmental organisations active at the time. MOS played a pivotal role in safeguarding two ecologically significant sites – Għadira and Simar – establishing the country’s first two bird sanctuaries and nature reserves.

The credibility of the MOS, now BirdLife Malta, ringing scheme was instrumental in earning its place within EURING's European wide network. EURING recognised that enlisting the scheme would be a step forward for the benefit of science. Although EURING is not an EU authority by statute, it has garnered immense respect, credibility, and authority from both the EU Commission and the scientific community. Importantly, EURING’s membership is not limited to EU member states. The BirdLife Malta ringing scheme was part of EURING long before Malta joined the EU. Each country is generally represented by only one ringing scheme, though there are exceptions.

The question to ask is why is Lino Farrugia’s lobby group so eager to involve itself in scientific research? Farrugia’s lobby has self-proclaimed to be conservationist, even incorporating the term into the federation’s name. This was a calculated attempt to greenwash the organisation’s true intentions and distract the public from the reality that their activities ultimately result in dead or trapped birds.

Now, with the blessing of Minister Clint Camilleri, they aim to self-proclaim that trappers have become scientific researchers. This time, however, they appear less concerned with what the Maltese public thinks. Instead, their focus is on intimidating anyone who dares to expose the so-called ‘scientific research’ trapping derogation for the sham that it truly is, while trying to deceive the European Commission about its real intentions.

The trapping derogation, disguised as a scientific initiative, is so absurd that it lacks credibility, even more so with an institution like the Commission. Both Robert Abela and Farrugia must be fully aware that, after failing twice at the European Court of Justice, they are now clutching at straws. Robert Abela’s primary concern seems to be appeasing the hunting lobby in the hope of securing their votes when the time comes. Farrugia’s aim is to keep Malta entrenched in some time warp which justifies trapping.

Lino Farrugia has clearly exhumed the old argument about bird ringing to find ways of justifying trapping in Malta. We will not let this happen and if Robert Abela has any sense he would do the same.

It is time we get on with aligning ourselves with the present and strive not to take Malta back in time.