CABS: Galdes should tell trappers to ‘look for another hobby’

The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) today praised the European Commission for its efforts to take Malta to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over its controversial decision to allow finch trapping.

“Finch trapping with clap nets is neither selective nor sustainable, it is accompanied by animal cruelty, it destroys protected landscape and it is fueling illegal bird trade”, the NGO said.

Today, MaltaToday Midweek revealed that an email exchange between the Attorney General and Wild Birds Regulation Unit head Sergei Golovkin shows that government proceeded with reintroducing finch trapping in 2014 despite being warned that this is in breach of the EU Birds’ Directive.  

CABS also accused Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes of painting a false picture by describing the trapping season as “well controlled”.

According to our data and observations the opposite is the case with massive illegal trapping and a total lack of enforcement in spring, hundreds of trapping stations built in protected areas  and rampant illegal trade and smuggling of many thousand birds each year”, CABS president Heinz Schwarze said.

"Above all, allowing finch trapping is a clear breach of the European Bird´s Directive and Malta´s accession treaty to the European Union.  Instead of wasting Maltese taxpayers money to defend the indefensible Mr. Galdes should have the guts to honestly tell the trappers that their cause is lost and that they should look for another hobby”, Schwarze added.

The ECJ is to hear the case against Malta over illegal finch trapping today. A decision of the court is expected to be announced later this year.