Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/400468
21 Evidently it wasn't enough that a junior minister simply annexed to his portfolio an area that shouldn't be there at all… he also made such a complete and utter hash of it that Malta is once again facing infringement proceedings by the European Commission, specifically over actions and decisions taken by Roderick Galdes. It was Galdes, for instance, who came up with the idea of applying a derogation for the trapping of an entire category of supposedly 'protected' bird: in particular, seven species of wild finch. And to achieve this aim he not only perverted his own portfolio, but he also twisted and mutilated European law beyond recognition, too. Once again, the argument revolves around a disputed half- sentence in a European Court ruling on a completely unrelated topic (spring hunting), which Galdes has tried to hammer out of shape so that it could be made to fit another, hopelessly incompatible context. The half-sentence in question involves an acknowledgement by the European court that – in the case of hunting for turtle dove and quail in spring – 'no satisfactory solution' existed because the numbers of those birds registered in autumn are too low to be considered an alternative to shooting them in spring. One can naturally agree or disagree with the interpretation of the court ruling in question. I for one do not interpret it as a carte blanche to allow shooting in spring; on the contrary, if the numbers are too low to shoot in autumn – and the two birds in question are classed as 'under threat' in Europe – the conclusion is very clearly that turtle dove and quail should not be shot at all. In any case: Galdes has now chosen to apply that same reasoning to trapping… but there is a significant difference between the two scenarios. The European Wild Birds Directive permits hunting of turtle dove and quail in autumn. And once you establish that these birds can indeed be legally shot at other times of the year, it becomes possible (even if debatable) to see how the 'satisfactory solution' argument can be applied. It doesn't work for trapping, however. The European Wild Birds Directive does not permit trapping of wild finches at any time of the year. Arguments involving numbers in autumn or spring are actually irrelevant… as are arguments about adequate levels of law enforcement. There can be no 'satisfactory solution' to trapping, because the entire practice is in itself considered 'unsatisfactory'. But of course, Galdes went ahead and devised regulations to permit this illegal practice anyway, thus incurring infringement proceedings by the European Commission. And even here, the resulting law is about as full of holes as your average finch- trapping net. According to the new regulations, trappers are allowed a total bag limit of 10 specimens a season. 10 specimens out of seven trappable species, don't forget. The same regulations also permit licensed trappers to operate four trapping sites measuring 38 square metres each, every day for two months between the 20th October and 31st December. If past seasons are anything to go by, there may be as many as 5,000 licensed trappers in the coming season. Each can operate up to 152 square metres' worth of nets, for a total of 760,000 square metres. And all to catch a measly 10 birds apiece, over a period of nine weeks. Were it not for the depressingly real nature of the above, farcical state of affairs, I would have assumed the whole thing was a joke. And in a sense perhaps it is. After all, what else can you call a man who first accepts the title of custodian of animal welfare, then spends two years ensuring that animals are afforded as little protection as possible under Maltese law? It's a joke, obviously. Not a very funny one, but a joke all the same. The European Wild Birds Directive does not permit trapping of wild finches at any time of the year. Arguments involving numbers in autumn or spring are irrelevant… maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2014 parliamentary secretary for animal rights? If past seasons are anything to go by, there may be as many as 5,000 licensed trappers this season. Were it not for the depressingly real nature of this farcical state, I would have assumed the whole thing was a joke