BirdLife Malta on Sunday strongly condemned the Government’s decision, introduced by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU), to reopen purposes for new General Trapping Licences. This transfer represents a deliberate step backwards from Malta’s binding commitments upon becoming a member of the European Union.
Finch trapping was to be phased out following accession in 2004, with no new licences issued and the follow restricted solely to provoke a breeding programme throughout a transitional interval. Instead of permitting trapping to decline naturally, the federal government has chosen to actively regenerate it, the NGO mentioned.
The Government is now injecting a new technology of trappers into an exercise that the European Court of Justice has twice discovered to be in breach of EU regulation, no matter how a lot the Government tries to greenwash it as a scientific exercise. In 2018, the Court dominated Malta’s “recreational” finch trapping derogation unlawful.
In September 2024, it dominated as soon as once more in opposition to Malta, rejecting the so-called “scientific research” framework that changed it. Despite repeated authorized defeats and clear warnings from the European Commission, the federal government continues to tweak and repackage trapping schemes in an try to circumvent the EU Birds Directive.
Reopening new licences now dangers inserting Malta in continued breach of EU regulation and alerts that Malta has no intention of honouring both the spirit or the letter of its EU obligations.
More trapping websites, extra land take-up, extra habitat harm
BirdLife Malta additionally printed a map of energetic trapping websites recorded in 2025. The scale is already alarming. Large swathes of the Maltese countryside are carved up into trapping plots, lots of them positioned inside Natura 2000 websites designated to shield biodiversity. Issuing new licences will inevitably end in much more trapping effort throughout an already closely impacted countryside.
The numbers have been already ecologically unsustainable. Increasing them additional will intensify habitat destruction, increase the bodily takeover of rural land, and deprive the general public of its proper to take pleasure in wild birds within the countryside. The Government seems intent on permitting additional occupation of what stays of Malta’s pure panorama by non-public trapping pursuits, on the expense of the broader neighborhood and guarded habitats.
A reckless decision taken in an enforcement vacuum
This decision, BirdLife mentioned, comes at a time when environmental enforcement is in shambles. The Environmental Protection Unit (EPU) lacks the assets crucial to correctly monitor and management any trapping derogation in Malta, whereas Gozo has successfully been left with out enough environmental police presence.
The political decision to weaken legal guidelines, create smokescreens and loopholes, and successfully scale back enforcement is main to huge abuse of environmental assets throughout the board. By increasing the variety of licensed trappers whereas enforcement capability stays critically weak, the federal government is creating the circumstances for additional lawlessness.
Trappers will more and more outnumber enforcement officers within the area. Illegalities are already evident. Finch trapping has been reported in the course of the closed spring season, whereas the persistent demand for reside chicken decoys continues to gas unlawful trapping overseas, together with cross-border impacts in neighbouring international locations. Instead of addressing these abuses, the federal government is selecting to widen the system that permits them.
A brief-sighted, pre-election political manoeuvre
BirdLife Malta famous that this decision was taken unilaterally, with out significant session at ORNIS Committee stage or with different environmental authorities entrusted with safeguarding Malta’s pure heritage. The timing and nature of the announcement level to a determined pre-election try to safe trapper help, whatever the authorized, ecological and reputational penalties for Malta.
It is a political calculation that locations slim electoral pursuits above nationwide and European obligations. Malta lies on one of the crucial essential migratory routes between Europe and Africa. The birds focused domestically are a part of a shared pure heritage that belongs to all Europeans.
Decisions taken right here have continent-wide penalties. Reopening new trapping licences reverses what ought to have been a gentle, irreversible phase-out. It undermines Malta’s credibility, weakens the rule of regulation, and additional entrenches battle with EU establishments.
BirdLife Malta referred to as on the Government to instantly withdraw this decision, respect its binding commitments, and redirect nationwide coverage in direction of full compliance with EU environmental regulation; enough resourcing of environmental enforcement; safety and restoration of habitats; and real, peer-reviewed scientific analysis that doesn’t depend on large-scale seize of protected wild birds.
“Malta’s countryside and nature are not a bargaining chip in an election campaign. They are a shared public good and a European responsibility. Tens of thousands of Maltese feel distant from both main political parties, mainly because of the way our natural environment is treated. These decisions allowing a few to take what belongs to everyone, be it land or biodiversity or natural resources, are why thousands of people are holding back from choosing our future leaders,” mentioned BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana.
