Malta is facing an escalating waste management crisis, with the issue being especially concerning within Natura 2000 sites, resulting from a lack of awareness and enforcement. Litter attracts rodents in unsustainable numbers and degrades natural habitats vital to unique flora and fauna.
For over a decade, BirdLife Malta has taken the initiative to controlling rodents in Natura 2000 sites, particularly in areas where Yelkouan and Scopoli's shearwaters breed including parts of Comino, L-Irdum tal-Madonna, Majjistral and Selmunett. These seabirds return to the Maltese islands annually to lay and incubate one egg per pair, but rat predation poses a serious threat to their populations, as eggs and chicks are defenceless against these predators.
Rodents, although found virtually anywhere, will particularly thrive if waste is available for them during night-time when they are active. BirdLife Malta has been urging authorities and the public to improve waste management at Natura 2000 sites through simple yet effective actions such as taking any trash back home, regular evening waste collection by competent authorities, the use of rodent proof bins with closed lids that keeps rodents away from waste and installing CCTV to monitor bins and prevent illegal dumping. All such action help decrease the possibility of rodents to thrive near vulnerable seabird colonies and the countryside in general. Rodent control using rodenticide cannot solve the rodent problem on its own and requires good waste management to be effective.
In recent months, BirdLife Malta's LIFE PanPuffinus project has worked closely with EcoGozo, the main entity responsible for waste management on Comino. While EcoGozo has been responsive, including replacing broken trash bins, BirdLife Malta believes more can be done to improve waste management on the Natura 2000 island. With the summer influx of thousands of tourists to Blue Lagoon and Santa Maria Bay, waste management challenges increase as a result of the sheer volume of tourists and waste generated. BirdLife Malta urges EcoGozo to act quickly by increasing the number of trash bins with larger capacities and sturdy lids and enforce on-site patrolling to guide tourists and operators to proper waste disposal. Kiosks should also take responsibility for the waste they generate, and commercial boat operators should warmly encourage those landing on the island to take their waste back to their harbour of departure.
BirdLife Malta's LIFE PanPuffinus! project team has also reported uncollected waste accumulating on Comino during the winter season. Despite fewer visitors, kiosks still operate on public holidays and good weather days, and boats continue to bring tourists regularly. To address this, the organisation urges the continuation of regular evening waste collection year-round, weather permitting, to keep Comino clean and protect its natural environment.
L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa, a popular campsite near Malta's largest Yelkouan shearwater colony at Rdum tal-Madonna, is also suffering from improper waste management. Effective waste management is also essential here for controlling rat populations and protecting the nearby shearwater colony. In the late 1990s to early 2000s, Yelkouan shearwater nests suffered immensely due to rat predation at Rdum tal-Madonna. A rodent control program, initiated in 2007, has significantly improved breeding success to over 80%, compared to much lower rates in colonies without such measures.
Our Natura 2000 sites necessitate the collective effort of all including the general public, if we are to see them ever achieve a favourable status. While entities such as EcoGozo, ERA and local councils are already doing their part, we urge them to do even more considering the high tourist season and overlap of human presence in coastal areas near seabird colonies. Strengthening these efforts will support Malta's obligations as an EU member state, responsible for the effective management of all Natura 2000 sites in line with the EU Habitats Directive.
BirdLife Malta also urges the public to do their part in keeping Natura 2000 sites waste-free to safeguard breeding shearwaters. Members of the public are encouraged to read more about how to help protect shearwaters: GENERATED QR Code for this link https://lifepanpuffinus.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/LIFE-PanPuffinus-General-Leaflet_EN.pdf
The LIFE PanPuffinus project is a 60% EU funded project which aims to protect two endemic and threatened Mediterranean seabirds, the Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) and the Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus). BirdLife Malta and BirdLife partners from another four countries (France, Greece, Portugal, Spain), as well as Malta's Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Greece's Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (NECCA), have joined forces for a unique Mediterranean-wide collaboration for the conservation of these two seabird species. It tackles two major threats that these seabirds meet throughout their entire life cycle: predation by invasive mammal species on land, and accidental capture by fishing gear (bycatch) at sea.
Justine Borġ is Marine Policy Officer at BirdLife Malta
