THE GAME Fund has begun preparations for its annual clampdown on the illegal bird trapping, earlier than usual this year, according to press reports. This is because the ambelopoulia, a protected species, have reportedly started reaching Cyprus’ shores, and the trappers, according to the Fund’s information, have already set up their mist nets and lime-sticks.
The war against the bird-trappers is making progress, with the authorities claiming that over the years the illicit practice has been reduced by 80 per cent. It is difficult to know how accurate this figure is. BirdLife Cyprus claimed in December that some 500,000 birds were caught last autumn, warning that this was a worryingly high number. On the plus side, the number of people reported for bird-trapping has doubled since 2005. Last year, 216 individuals were reported, compared to 99 in 2005.
But even if more bird-trappers are being reported, it is no guarantee that they will not set up mist nets again the next day. Selling ambelopoulia is after all a very lucrative business, with taverns charging a reported €4 to €5 per bird, which are offered by the dozen. In other words, the fine the bird-trappers are made to pay when caught, though relatively high, is still a tiny fraction of the revenue they can earn by breaking the law. The financial penalty is a minor occupational hazard.
While the Game Fund has been doing its best, essentially, it is fighting a losing battle. Apart from the fact that it does not have the staff to monitor things island-wide, it has to deal with resourceful law-breakers. According to the Game Fund chief, some bird trappers were now using mist-nets that could be rolled up by remote control devices, when game wardens were patrolling – so lucrative is the business that it makes sense for the law-breakers to invest in costly equipment to avoid being caught.
It is clear that the fines being imposed are an inadequate deterrent, but it is highly unlikely legislators would ever vote an amendment to the law providing for tougher penalties, at least for repeat offenders. On the contrary, a couple of months ago, deputies from the Famagusta district, where most of the law-breaking takes place, had proposed that bird-trappers be given an on-the-spot fine (like a parking ticket) when caught so that they would be spared the inconvenience of appearing in court and paying legal fees. With such an attitude from deputies, is it any wonder that bird-trappers have organised themselves into a pressure group, defiantly declaring that they would carry on breaking the law?
Against this background, the Game Fund’s clampdown can only achieve modest results. We cannot expect a single government department to work miracles when the political establishment is undermining its efforts, either by equivocating or, worse still, showing sympathy for the law-breakers. But even if the politicians are not bothered about protecting an endangered species they should at least take a stand against people showing total contempt for the law.
