Malta is holding talks with the European Commission on trapping birds for research, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, who is also responsible for hunting and trapping, said.

Asked in an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday whether government is in talks with the Commission currently over the decision that was taken to open up this current research trapping season, he said that government was in discussions prior to the research period and that discussions are still ongoing.

Asked what the Commission said, the minister responded: "They said what they told us in the reasoned opinion; that they are not in agreement over the way we are applying the research derogation.”

“There are points they don't agree with. There are other points on which we might be agreeing. One of the main issues is that the EU Commission does not consider tradition as a reason. I told them that it is very important for there to be convergence between what we are going for and what happens underground. If one eliminates every research period, any other trapping season, we would risk many people going underground, practising the activity illegally. As such, I prefer that there is a framework within which one can work, with clear enforcement and clear regulations (...) Having said that, we will keep working on the way forward and continue in our discussions with the EU Commission.”

On 20 October, government allowed a research derogation for finch trapping. This move puts Malta at loggerheads with the EU Commission.

He was asked for his thoughts about a number of illegalities that were reported by CABS regarding the finch trapping research derogation, and as to whether by opening the season for research trapping, he is causing friction with the European Commission.

The minister tried to blame the friction on the Nationalist Party. "The friction was created by former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami when, prior to Malta joining the EU, he had sent leaflets, together with Simon Busuttil, saying that hunting and trapping would not be touched, that government had negotiated the best package for hunting and trapping and that the rights of hunters and trappers would increase. But, down the line we realised that this was nothing but lies."

"As the minister responsible for this sector, I am responsible for fighting for the rights of the sector. That is what we are doing.”

On the research derogation he said that, back in 2018, the EU Court of Justice decided that trapping, as the derogation was applied, could no longer be practiced.

“One of the main reasons given as to why it found the derogation unacceptable at the time was that Malta did not have the reference population numbers in terms of where songbirds are coming from. One of the derogation conditions is that if trapping songbirds, you cannot capture more than 1% of the reference population.” Malta had foreign research at the time, he said, but the court said that they were not research about Malta.

“We conducted this research so that one can identify from where these birds are migrating."

“From last year's research, there were 10 ring recoveries, six of which were verified and were ringed. This year we are undergoing this same process so that we can collect the necessary data. I also understand that the EU Commission is not agreeing with us on many things. This is why we spoke to them. There are things we still don't agree on and there are other things on which I think we are finding a way forward and are seeing how we can address the points they don't agree with."

One of the reasons trappers are being involved in this research, the minister said is "as I believe, over time, we would be changing the mentality. In the past they would capture birds to keep them. We need to change the mentality so that the people who enjoy this hobby can be utilised for other things, like research.”