With today marking the start of the trapping season, local environmental NGO BirdLife Malta has reminded the public on the legal allowances and rules concerning trapping in Malta.

This comes as the use of clap-nets to capture birds is permitted through two different derogations, which are currently both subject to infringement proceedings carried out by the European Commission.

“Today marks the start of the controversial trapping period which has been authorized by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri on the basis of the recommendations of the ORNIS Committee voted upon on the 10th October,” BirdLife Malta said earlier today. 

During this important vote, the authority which is responsible for overlooking environmental matters in Malta, ERA (Environment and Resources Authority) failed to be present. This resulted in BirdLife Malta being the only entity to vote against the practice, despite pressures mounting from the European Commission.

For the Song Trush trapping season, known as Malvizz in Maltese, a total of 7,000 birds are permitted to be trapped between 20th October and 31st December. 

Meanwhile, for the Golden Plover trapping season, known as Pluviera in Maltese, a total of 500 is permitted between 1st November and 10th January.

Both species and their respective seasons are currently subject to an infringement procedure which opened in December 2020.

Meanwhile, for the infamous “research” trapping season on the Finch, which had sparked national reactions back when the Hunting Minister had dubbed such trapping as a research practice, a season is permitted from the 20th October to 20th December.

“The second derogation is just a smokescreen for the continuation of finch trapping in violation of a European Court of Justice (ECJ) judgement of 2018,” BirdLife Malta stressed.

“This derogation is in its very final steps of yet another infringement case and will be met with a judgement at the ECJ in the coming months.”

The use of registered trapping sites is permitted from two hours before sunrise to two hours after sunset, every day of the season. Trapping at night is prohibited, as is the use of electronic bird callers for the purposes of trapping.

For more info on what is legal and illegal and how to detect and report illegal trapping, follow this link.