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REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS
MINISTER'S OFFICE
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
1453 NICOSIA
CYPRUS
Ref. No.: 12015918
3 January 2002
Dear Mr. S.T.
I would like to thank you for your email dated December 12, 2001, in which you express your concern about the illegal trapping and shooting of birds in Cyprus. Although 1 believe that the estimated number of illegally trapped or shot birds on Cyprus (some 20 million) is an exaggeration, I would like to assure you that illegal trapping of birds is a major concern for us. I instructed the game wardens to combat this illegal action and to prosecute every person who is involved in the criminal persecution of wild migratory and non-migratory avian species. The police was also instructed to do the same. In addition, new and stricter legislation is under way, which includes higher penalties, fines on the spot, hunter education and public awareness.
2. As you noted, Cyprus is now in the process of formally transposing the EU environmental acquis correctly and completely into Cyprus law, as well as of implementing it into practice. Cyprus has agreed to comply with all relevant legislation related to the protection of nature by 01.01.2003. Cyprus places great ernphasis on the transposition of the two most important legislations regarding nature protection: The Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and the Birds Directive (791409/EEC). Work regarding these two Directives is well in progress and preliminary "Natura 2000" sites have been proposed to the European Commission. The total surface area of these sites amounts to about 17% of the islands area which rates among the highest comparing to other EU full mernber states. Cyprus' proposals include all Important Bird Areas (IBAs) identified by BirdLife Intemational in their latest publication (No. 8 Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority sites for conservation by M, F. Heath and M.I. Evans, 2000, Vol. 2: Southem Europe) in the proposed "Natura 2000" network. Cyprus is committed to protect these sites effectively by: a) coordinated conservation and management plans, b) research for the ecology and population dynamics of the migratory species, and c) enforce measures based on sound ecological principles to control and manage the taking of the migratory species.
3. Finally, I would like to inform you that since part of the illegal trapping is taking place in the British Sovereign Bases (BSB), my Ministry requested the cooperation of the BSB authorities for joint action for the complete elimination of every illegal bird trapping. I am glad to note that the BSB authorities responded positively to our request, something which makes me optimistic that we will succeed.
4. Once again I would like to thank you for your concern and suggestions.
With best regards and wishes for the new year
Signature (Dr Christodoulos Christodoulou)
Minister of Interior
Proact comments: I'm not aware of any other responses to date - Proact has now written twice (by email and the postal system) without response.
We will allow the Minister another few days before replying to him. In the meantime we can congratulate him publicly in the Cyprus Press on the wide-ranging and comprehensive measures which he plans.
This might even keep him up to his promises!
Our somewhat cautious view is shared by our 'front line' correspondent: "However, 'just as you thought it was safe....etc': last weekend the Minister of the Interior, speaking to journalists following a visit by members of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, denounced as 'unpatriotic' those Cypriots who had reported the massive scale of the massacre to the Council of Europe. Following the more or less obligatory official stance that trapping is no more than an inconsequential rural 'tradition', no mention was made of the fact that liming, netting, and the trade in these birds has been illegal since 1974 (but not, of course, enforced) or that MPs from the Minister's own party (and the Mayor of the main town in the trapping area, also a member of the Minister's party) have openly advocated flouting the conservation laws!
This is the same Minister who was reported to have instructed the Game Fund to cease any activity in the main trapping area in the east of the island for a period during the peak of the migration last Autumn, whilst he 'glad-handed' in the area. This is the sort of thing we are still up against, and why we need international, and especially European, support. Basically, it appears that despite the fact that Cyprus has closed the Environmental Chapter of the accession phase, it is still dragging its heels, and unless foreign pressure is kept up on the government and the SBAs, they will continue to try to ignore local campaigners." Another Cyprus correspondent states: This is same Minister who, I am reliably informed, signed the go-ahead yesterday for 'hunters' to shoot 'ducks' on the Larnaca Salt Lake, our only current Ramsar Site and an IBA!
The Salt Lake currently has the highest numbers of Red-crested Pochard and Ruddy Shelduck that Cyprus has ever recorded. There is a large flock of Black-necked Grebe plus numerous Bewick's Swans [the first ever for Cyprus], Red Brested and White-fronted Geese. In addition there are well over a thousand Greater Flamingo.
From past experience these are the 'ducks' that will be targeted!
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