FKNK accuses BirdLife of exploiting monopoly on bird-ringing

The Federazzjoni Kaċċaturi Nassaba Konservazzjonisti (FKNK) has accused BirdLife Malta of refusing to cooperate with an international researcher conducting bird-ringing studies in Malta. 

The hunting lobby alleged that BirdLife is exploiting its exclusive rights over bird-ringing.

According to FKNK, BirdLife has declined to provide bird rings inscribed with “Malta” to Irish bird-ringing expert Declan Coney, who is working in Malta under a local bird-ringing license issued by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU). FKNK stated that BirdLife’s stance undermines Malta’s compliance with European regulations and demonstrates disregard for Maltese authorities.

Bird trapping has recently been a point of contention yet again following a European Court of Justice decree that ruled Malta's derogation from the ban on bird trapping as illegal. Despite the ruling, government reopened the finch trapping season one month later.

"Malta is a country governed by the rule of law," FKNK stated, accusing BirdLife of acting "above the authorities or the Maltese state." The organisation further alleged that BirdLife’s refusal to collaborate could harm Malta’s international standing and emphasised the need for legislative changes to end BirdLife’s exclusive control over bird-ringing activities, a matter already discussed by the Ornis Committee.

The hunters' lobby also criticised BirdLife for what it described as selective cooperation with government authorities. "BirdLife Malta willingly accepts public land and hundreds of thousands of euros in taxpayer funding annually, yet appears to use these resources to surveil and harass hunters and trappers rather than prioritise conservation," the statement read.

The group has pledged to continue advocating for an end to what it describes as BirdLife’s "monopoly" on bird-ringing in Malta.

In its statement, FKNK highlighted its members’ contributions to "citizen science" and argued that all entities, including universities and independent researchers, should have equal rights to conduct scientific studies on migratory birds.