FKNK fight for finch trapping

In light of Birdlife’s claims of reducing the number of bird trappers in Malta earlier this week through the promotion of alternative hobbies, FKNK’s secretary general, Lino Farrugia drafted up ‘official reasons’ to legalise finch trapping in a press release on Thursday.

FKNK made use of quotes taken from meetings, documents and letters dated between 2002 and 2010 in a document to be presented to the Malta Ornis Committee, to argue why finch-trapping should continue and trappers where never informed of intentions to completely abolish finch-capturing the five-year moratorium on trapping license renewals.

“The moratorium was for a definite and specified period, and it was definitely not intended to abolish tradition finch-capturing,” said Farrugia.

Farrugia also said that the alternatives to trapping being offered are not appropriate because of the “traditional aspect” tied in with finch-trapping.

Earlier this week, Geoffrey Saliba, from Birdlife, said the EU Commission has not justified finch-trapping and has also questioned the derogation to allow the Turtle Dove, Quail, Golden Plover and Song Thrush to be trapped.

These ‘official reasons’ were given despite repeated warnings of the Government being taken to court as well as a Letter of Formal Notice commencing infringement proceedings against Malta for trapping not permitted under the EU bird directive.

Several solutions were offered by the FKNK to the Government to allow the maintenance of finch-capturing. Farrugia also claimed finch-capturing may be permitted to continue should the correct application of Derogation from the Birds directive be made and accepted by the European Commission..