BirdLife Malta said it was once again the only organisation standing up for birds on the Ornis Committee and the strategy to water down laws aimed to conserve and protect birds continues.

Yesterday, the committee voted on a proposal to reduce fines for those who break the law, under the pretext of proportionality. With illegalities on the rise, this decision will only benefit those who violate the law. It seems the Government remains weak in the face of those who break and disregard bird protection laws, BirdLife said.

It is also astonishing that while ERA voted against establishing a no-hunting buffer zone around schools, it voted in favour of reducing fines for illegal hunting offences. Only BirdLife Malta voted against this proposal.

"If one were to examine the actual Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations, one would notice the numerous amendments made in recent years. None of these have strengthened the law; instead, they have introduced loopholes and carefully crafted changes that have allowed illegalities to become more widespread," said BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana.

"To make matters worse, enforcement remains extremely weak, and with further legislative changes, it will become even more ineffective. Malta is currently facing an EU infringement procedure due to a lack of enforcement, and this move will only worsen the country's position.

Additional changes are expected, including one that would allow hunters to use faster boats and approach as close as 1 km from the shore, instead of the current 3 km limit. The Malta Police Force and the Malta Tourism Authority have already raised safety concerns about this proposal, but we do not expect the responsible ministry to take these concerns seriously. Instead, it is likely to once again yield to the demands of the hunting lobby."

Conversely, the Federation for Hunting and Conservation - Malta (FKNK) welcomed the approval by the ORNIS Committee of its "long-standing proposal" for the introduction of proportionality in the system of fines and the reform of the principle of instant and permanent licence expulsion in cases of infractions related to hunting and trapping.

This reform represents a significant step forward in ensuring that the legal framework governing hunting and trapping in Malta is both fair and proportionate, better reflecting the principles of justice, FKNK said.

Following the recent approval of our proposal for the removal of the bird-ringing monopoly, the development marks yet another milestone in the FKNK's efforts to achieve a more just and balanced regulatory environment that respects the rights of its thousands of members.

Photo: BirdLife