Even after EU Court decision, hunters tell minister to reopen finch bird trapping season

Malta’s hunters have told minister Clint Camilleri to once again open a trapping season for finches, that has just been ruled to be illegal by the European Court of Justice.

Malta derogated from the EU ban on the trapping of finches in 2020, by opening a season under a “science and research” programme to collect data and catch and release birds.

The ECJ last month decreed Malta had no justification at law to derogate from the EU’s Birds Directive.

Hunters at the Ornis committee, the consultative committee that issues the recommendation on whether to open hunting and trapping seasons, voted in favour of continuing both the trapping season for Song Thrush and Golden Plover – currently undergoing an infringement action from the European Commission – but also the continuation of the ‘finch research programme’, the trapping of seven finch species.

The FKNK said that the decision would be taken with “full account of the judgement of the European Court of Justice in the related case of 19 September 2024 in Luxembourg.”

A final decision by Gozo minister Clint Camilleri, is expected in the coming days.

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BirdLife Malta said it opposed the Ornis decision, which was voted in favour by FKNK but also by government appointees from the Wild Birds Regulation Unit.

“The vote did not delve into details of whether a finch trapping season should open this year or otherwise,” CEO Mark Sultana said.

“Irrespectively, BirdLife voted against any attempts at the continuation of any smokescreen season, permitting finch trapping whether by means of research or otherwise, including a trapping season for song thrush and golden plover.”

At the Ornis meeting, the committee was also briefed by the WBRU on the need to address the issues raised by the ECJ. “However, the details of how these would be effectively addressed, were not tabled,” Sultana said. “BirdLife Malta remains adamant that any attempts to open the trapping season as previous years, shall be a direct confrontation of the verdict delivered on the 19 September 2024.”