Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/326223
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 JUNE 2014 News 9 Muscat asked Galdes to pave the way for autumn trapping could not be revisited. Instead the representative gave the impression that a derogation on trapping was still possible. The trapping of finches was such a contentious issue that the Treaty described in detail that the deroga- tion for the finch species of linnet, greenfinch, goldfinch, siskin, serin, chaffinch and hawfinch could be de- liberately captured until 31 Decem- ber, 2008. The Treaty specified that the Maltese could use traditional nets known as clap-nets within the Maltese islands exclusively for the purpose of keeping them in captiv- ity, in accordance with very clear targets. But in 2003, the Maltese govern- ment had failed to establish all the registered trapping sites; and a pilot study for a captive breeding project and a study on mortality of finches in captivity was to have been pre- sented, with the number and types of species held and bred in aviaries assessed, as well as present to the European Commission an informa- tion programme for implementa- tion of a captive breeding system. The Treaty spoke of a captive breeding programme to be intro- duced by 30 June, 2005 but this was never implemented. It also specified that by 31 Decem- ber, 2006 the success of the cap- tive breeding system as well as the mortality rate of birds within the established captive breeding system should have been assessed. And fur- thermore, by June 2007 the number of captured wild birds required to sustain genetic diversity was to have been assessed. It was only after this target, that the treaty envisaged that by 31 De- cember, 2007, the Malta Ornis Com- mittee would establish the number of wild specimens per species that may be captured in line with the Di- rective to ensure sufficient genetic diversity of the captive species. The minister then responsible for implementing these transitional changes was George Pullicino. After 2004 the hunting and trap- ping issue was not considered a pri- ority and Lino Farrugia's decision to stand and eventually fare miserably in the European Parliament elec- tions gave the government the false impression that the hunters were a spent force. The European Commission is un- aware that the majority of the Ornis Committee's members, who rub- ber-stamped the trapping decision, are politically appointed by animal rights parliamentary secretary Rod- erick Galdes himself. Autumn trapping will be accom- panied by a quota which is next to impossible to enforce: that of 26,000 finches. Over the past few years, the authorities were unable to stop il- legal clap-net trapping, let alone control the number that are 'legally' trapped. The chairman of the Ornis com- mittee, a former Birdlife Malta member, university lecturer Mark Anthony Falzon, has abstained on two separate occasions: when the spring hunting season was given a green light and now on the decision to have an autumn trapping season. Ornis chairman defends 'fair' trapping decision R APHAEL VASSALLO ORNIS Committee chairman Prof. Mark Anthony Falzon has defended this week's controversial decision to recommend an autumn trapping season: arguing that con- trary to widespread perception, the four-hour discussion resulting in a vote last Tuesday was conducted in an atmosphere of fairness and cor- diality, and that all viewpoints were heard in the debate. "Decisions on issues such as wild- life conservation invariably involve a compromise between the dif- ferent interests," he said over the phone. "As chair of the committee my job was to see to it that the discussion took place according to strict pro- cedures, and at various points last Tuesday I asked the different com- mittee members if they were satis- fied with proceedings. No one regis- tered any objections or complaints. After the discussion a free vote was taken – in which I, as chairman, ab- stained. Everything went according to procedure, and everyone on the committee accepted the decision." Asked how he can argue the deci- sion was 'fair', given the imbalance of the committee itself – where gov- ernment representatives outweigh all other interests, in the context of a clear government policy in favour of trapping – he insisted that it was not his role to challenge the set-up but to enact the procedures in their current form. Falzon argues that the decision was taken after looking at three main factors: protection of the natural habitat, conservation of birdlife, and the legality of trap- ping. On the last point, he admitted seeking legal advice only from one source – the Wild Birds Regula- tion Unit – whose director Sergei Golovkin also doubles up as secre- tary to the Ornis Committee, and was last heard defending spring hunting on the BBC. No second opinion was requested. Falzon however defends the WBRU as a credible source of legal advice, despite its known bias and the apparent conflict of interest which almost makes it an extension of his own Ornis Committee. "My job was to ask the relevant depart- ment of the civil service, and that's what I did." It remains debatable, moreover, if the trappers themselves made any concessions in this "compromise". Falzon insists that the Ornis rec- ommendations include strict regu- lations and conditions. "There are safeguards against damage to the natural landscape. No new trap- ping sites will be permitted, and there will be strict controls on the numbers of birds to be captured…" Falzon deflected criticism that such 'strict controls' would depend on data supplied by the trappers: an approach which has already been questioned with regard to spring hunting. It transpires also that no registry of trapping sites was ever complet- ed – one of the conditions stipulat- ed by the 2004 Accession treaty – and Falzon admitted that, to date, Ornis does not know how many trapping sites actually exist. Lino Farrugia Roderick Galdes