Gozitan gets record €8,000 fine for illegal trapping

Trapper receives lifetime ban on hunting and trapping licence

A greenfinch in a cage. Photo: CABS
A greenfinch in a cage. Photo: CABS

A bird trapper from Gozo was found guilty of illegal finch trapping close to San Lawrenz during the closed season in spring 2015.

Magistrate Joseph Mifsud sentenced the trapper to pay €8,000 and had his trapping permit and hunting licence revoked for life.

The case was reported to the police by a team of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) on 23 March 2015 after the volunteers observed and photographed the man operating an active clap net and an illegal electronic bird caller to attract finches to the trapping site.

According to CABS the man was a repeat offender with at least one prior conviction related to illegal trapping of birds.

CABS president Heinz Schwarze welcomed the verdict as a “very clear and strong signal to poachers that the society is not going to tolerate their actions anymore”.

The fine is probably the highest fine for a single case of illegal bird trapping in Maltese history, CABS said.

The NGO said that it will not monitor the trapping season in October with up to three teams until December and report all cases of illegal trapping to the police. “In case the season has to be closed because the EC seeks a temporary embargo we will be there to monitor the ban and report all active sites to the police”, CABS wildlife crime officer Fiona Burrows added.

The prosecuting inspector was Bernard Spiteri.