European Commission tells Maltese hunters out-of-court settlement on finch trapping not possible

Hunters meet Karmenu Vella: “Commission incessantly targeting its smallest member state despite all tremendous efforts to conform with Birds Directive.”

Lino Farrugia (left) and Joe Perici Calascione
Lino Farrugia (left) and Joe Perici Calascione

The European Commission has told Maltese hunters that an out-of-court settlement on Malta’s illegal finch trapping season, will not be possible pending the proceedings taking place in the European Court of Justice.

Malta’s hunters this week met European Commissioner for the environment Karmenu Vella, where FKNK president Joseph Perici Calascione and CEO Lino Farrugia presented a paper explaining their view on the present situation with respect to the turtle dove hunting season and finch trapping.

“The paper is well documented with referenced scientific data, studies, researches and other factual evidence to further strengthen the case,” the FKNK said.

The Maltese government is currently defending its case in the European Court of Justice after it opened the finch trapping season in breach of the EU Birds Directive.

“No stone will be left unturned in order to make certain that both Maltese traditional socio-cultural passions, that form an integral part of the Maltese hunters’ and trappers’ way of life, will never be abolished,” Perici Calascione said.

“It seems that the Commission was incessantly targeting its smallest member state in this regard, despite all tremendous efforts continuously being done to conform with the Directive.”

The FKNK said the Commission informed them that the species’ new management plan will be launched soon, “and that in the Commission’s opinion the real problem lies in the decline of the turtle dove and not in the principle of derogations under article 9.1.c of the Directive.”

FKNK CEO Lino Farrugia said that a moratorium on turtle dove hunting would never stabilize populations. “The FKNK is sure that a ban on the spring hunting of turtle dove on Malta would not prevent the decline of the species, nor would its effect be detectable. It is rather unfair of the Commission to expect the hunters to solve the turtle dove problem, as this is not a hunting issue, especially in consideration of IUCN’s stated main causes for the turtle dove’s decline which are far removed from hunting.”