Trapping season ‘tarnishing’ Malta’s reputation – AD

Alternattiva Demokratika expresses concerns on reopening of finch trapping season

A live quail decoy used in a trapping site in Gozo (file photo)
A live quail decoy used in a trapping site in Gozo (file photo)

The Green Party today expressed its concerns on the opening of finch trapping season following the application of a derogation.

AD spokesperson on animal welfare Simon Galea said "Malta's reputation is once again being tarnished through the opening of finch trapping season with a national bag limit of over 23,000 song birds.”

Instead of promoting nature appreciation and catering for proper legal frameworks in this regard, Galea said, “the Maltese Government prefers to challenge EU policies and legislation by going counter to the EU Birds Directive and even ignoring formal warnings by the same EU Commission.”

He said Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes’ decision to open the trapping season after a five-year absence would lead to thousands of song birds being taken from the wild and locked up in tiny cages for the rest of their lives.

AD chairperson Arnold Cassola said his party is in favour of promoting eco tourism, which would also attract thousands of bird watchers to Malta.

“The influx of a few thousand birdwatchers would have a very healthy impact on the Maltese economy. Instead we are also being faced with the absurd destruction of our flora through the clearing of vegetation by 4,600 trappers in over 8000 trapping sites, a sustainable number of which can be found in Natura 2000 sites,” he said.