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Call for action against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus
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Dear all,
BirdLife Cyprus would like to thank all those that have signed and supported our electronic petition against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus. We value your support which empowers our fight against this ecological disaster.
On the 1st February 2012 we presented the petition signatures to the Minister of Interior, Mr Neoklis Sylikiotis. We believe that our united voice will be even more strongly heard now and will exert greater pressure towards the competent authorities to take real action on this issue.
BirdLife Cyprus will continue its campaigning against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus until this practice finally stops and we thank you for contributing to our goal. Please read below the press release for the submittion of the petition signatures to the minister, which you can also find on our website (http://www.birdlifecyprus.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=artic le&id=579%3Acyprus-interior-minister-presented-with-16677-signatures-f rom-150-countries-calling-for-more-action-against-illegal-bird-trappin g-01-02-2012&catid=101%3Apress-releases&Itemid=111&lang=en).
Cyprus Interior Minister presented with 16,677 signatures from 150 countries calling for more action against illegal bird trapping
Nicosia, 1st February 2012
BirdLife Cyprus1 representatives today presented Minister of Interior, Neoklis Sylikiotis, with a 257-page document containing over 16,500 signatures from 150 countries, calling for more action against illegal bird trapping. The electronic petition, entitled ‘Call for action against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus’2, was set up by BirdLife Cyprus in September 2011 to coincide with the main autumn trapping season. The petition is addressed to the relevant Ministers (Minister of Interior, Mr. Neoklis Sylikiotis and Minister of Justice and Public Order, Mr. Loucas Louca) and calls for the adoption of a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to trapping, as promised at the Bern Convention conference (July 2011)3.
The electronic petition was a great success in raising public awareness about this illegal activity, which has been on the rise in the last few years, as shown by BirdLife Cyprus monitoring programme. Hundreds of thousands of birds are killed in mist nets and on limesticks each year to end up as expensive ambelopoulia delicacies; the indiscriminate nature of the trapping means many rare and threatened species are caught. While there was a drop in mist net use in the Republic in autumn 2011, limestick use significantly increased and action against restaurants serving ambelopoulia was limited.
The petition was widely advertised through the media and BirdLife International partners in countries across the world. Most signatures came from the United Kingdom, with over 5,000 , followed by France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland, with over 1,000 signatures from each country. The electronic petition expanded far beyond European borders, getting signatures from countries such as the USA (700) and Australia (130). As for Cyprus, more than 600 people signed the petition.
“The number of signatures gathered by our petition shows how concerned the general public is about bird trapping in Cyprus”, commented Clairie Papazoglou, Executive Director of BirdLife Cyprus. “We hope that the call for zero tolerance from all these people from across the world will be heard and the competent authorities will take real action against the killing”, continued Papazoglou.
For more information, please contact: Martin Hellicar, tel: +357 22 455072, martin.hellicar@birdlifecyprus.org.cy
BirdLife Cyprus would like to thank all those that have signed and supported our electronic petition against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus. We value your support which empowers our fight against this ecological disaster.
On the 1st February 2012 we presented the petition signatures to the Minister of Interior, Mr Neoklis Sylikiotis. We believe that our united voice will be even more strongly heard now and will exert greater pressure towards the competent authorities to take real action on this issue.
BirdLife Cyprus will continue its campaigning against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus until this practice finally stops and we thank you for contributing to our goal. Please read below the press release for the submittion of the petition signatures to the minister, which you can also find on our website (http://www.birdlifecyprus.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=artic le&id=579%3Acyprus-interior-minister-presented-with-16677-signatures-f rom-150-countries-calling-for-more-action-against-illegal-bird-trappin g-01-02-2012&catid=101%3Apress-releases&Itemid=111&lang=en).
Cyprus Interior Minister presented with 16,677 signatures from 150 countries calling for more action against illegal bird trapping
Nicosia, 1st February 2012
BirdLife Cyprus1 representatives today presented Minister of Interior, Neoklis Sylikiotis, with a 257-page document containing over 16,500 signatures from 150 countries, calling for more action against illegal bird trapping. The electronic petition, entitled ‘Call for action against illegal bird trapping in Cyprus’2, was set up by BirdLife Cyprus in September 2011 to coincide with the main autumn trapping season. The petition is addressed to the relevant Ministers (Minister of Interior, Mr. Neoklis Sylikiotis and Minister of Justice and Public Order, Mr. Loucas Louca) and calls for the adoption of a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to trapping, as promised at the Bern Convention conference (July 2011)3.
The electronic petition was a great success in raising public awareness about this illegal activity, which has been on the rise in the last few years, as shown by BirdLife Cyprus monitoring programme. Hundreds of thousands of birds are killed in mist nets and on limesticks each year to end up as expensive ambelopoulia delicacies; the indiscriminate nature of the trapping means many rare and threatened species are caught. While there was a drop in mist net use in the Republic in autumn 2011, limestick use significantly increased and action against restaurants serving ambelopoulia was limited.
The petition was widely advertised through the media and BirdLife International partners in countries across the world. Most signatures came from the United Kingdom, with over 5,000 , followed by France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland, with over 1,000 signatures from each country. The electronic petition expanded far beyond European borders, getting signatures from countries such as the USA (700) and Australia (130). As for Cyprus, more than 600 people signed the petition.
“The number of signatures gathered by our petition shows how concerned the general public is about bird trapping in Cyprus”, commented Clairie Papazoglou, Executive Director of BirdLife Cyprus. “We hope that the call for zero tolerance from all these people from across the world will be heard and the competent authorities will take real action against the killing”, continued Papazoglou.
For more information, please contact: Martin Hellicar, tel: +357 22 455072, martin.hellicar@birdlifecyprus.org.cy
Dear Ministers,
As you know, illegal bird trapping in Cyprus with mist nets and limesticks is still widespread and has been increasing dramatically in the last few years. BirdLife Cyprus’ monitoring data on trapping suggest hundreds of thousands of birds have been killed during this autumn. A clear and welcome “zero tolerance” message came out of the “European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds”, held in Larnaca last July (2011). We, the undersigned, now call for the political will that was evident at the conference to be transformed into action on the ground to stop the slaughter of birds in Cyprus.
Illegal bird killing is no longer a traditional activity. Limesticks and mist nets are non selective trapping methods, killing more than 100 bird species, many of which are listed as threatened at a European and/or international level. Nowadays bird trapping takes place at an unprecedented scale, killing hundreds of thousands of birds for profit, and it is controlled by a network of ruthless criminals.
This ecological disaster must be stopped. I ask that real enforcement of the legislation is applied at all levels, from the trapping sites to the restaurateurs serving “ambelopoulia” and that deterrent court fines are imposed to convicted trappers. We expect that true results are achieved by 2012, the target year for eliminating the problem as stated by the Minister of Interior in his opening speech at the Larnaca conference.
I hope that you will do whatever is possible within your powers to eliminate illegal bird trapping in Cyprus.
Yours sincerely,
----------------------------------
Αξιότιμοι κύριοι Υπουργοί,
Όπως γνωρίζετε η παράνομη παγίδευση πτηνών με την χρήση διχτύων και ξοβέργων γίνεται ακόμα εκτεταμένα στην Κύπρο και τα τελευταία χρόνια παρατηρείται μια δραματική αύξηση. Τα στοιχεία παρακολούθησης του Πτηνολογικού Συνδέσμου Κύπρου για την παράνομη παγίδευση δείχνουν ότι εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες πουλιά έχουν θανατωθεί αυτό το φθινόπωρο. Ένα ξεκάθαρο και καλοδεχούμενο μήνυμα «μηδενικής ανοχής» ακούστηκε στο «Ευρωπαϊκό Συνέδριο για την Παράνομη Θανάτωση των Πτηνών», που έγινε στην Λάρνακα τον περασμένο Ιούλιο (2011). Εμείς, οι υπογράφοντες, ζητούμε τώρα όπως οι δηλώσεις πολιτικής βούλησης που έγιναν στο συνέδριο να μετατραπούν σε πράξεις στο πεδίο για να σταματήσει η σφαγή των πτηνών στην Κύπρο.
Η παράνομη παγίδευση πτηνών δεν αποτελεί πλέον μια παραδοσιακή δραστηριότητα. Ξόβεργα και δίχτυα αποτελούν μη επιλεκτικές μεθόδους παγίδευσης και σκοτώνουν πάνω από 100 είδη πτηνών, εκ των οποίων πολλά είναι καταγραμμένα ως απειλούμενα σε Ευρωπαϊκό και / ή παγκόσμιο επίπεδο. Σήμερα η έκταση της παγίδευσης πτηνών έχει φτάσει σε πρωτόγνωρα επίπεδα, σκοτώνοντας χιλιάδες εκατοντάδες πτηνά για κερδοφορία, και ελέγχεται από ένα δίχτυο αδίσταχτων εγκληματιών.
Αυτή η οικολογική καταστροφή πρέπει να σταματήσει. Σας καλώ όπως ληφθούν μέτρα για την αποτελεσματική εφαρμογή της νομοθεσίας σε όλα τα επίπεδα, από τις περιοχές παγίδευσης μέχρι τους εστιάτορες που προσφέρουν τα «αμπελοπούλια» και την επιβολή πιο αυστηρών ποινών σε καταδικασμένους παγιδευτές. Αναμένουμε ότι θα επιτευχθούν ουσιαστικά αποτελέσματα μέχρι το 2012, το έτος στόχο για εξάλειψη του προβλήματος όπως δήλωσε και στον χαιρετισμό του ο Υπουργός Εσωτερικών κατά την διάρκεια του συνεδρίου στην Λάρνακα.
Ελπίζω ότι θα πράξετε ότι είναι δυνατόν εντός των αρμοδιοτήτων σας για την εξάλειψη την παράνομης παγίδευσης πτηνών στην Κύπρο.
Με εκτίμηση,
As you know, illegal bird trapping in Cyprus with mist nets and limesticks is still widespread and has been increasing dramatically in the last few years. BirdLife Cyprus’ monitoring data on trapping suggest hundreds of thousands of birds have been killed during this autumn. A clear and welcome “zero tolerance” message came out of the “European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds”, held in Larnaca last July (2011). We, the undersigned, now call for the political will that was evident at the conference to be transformed into action on the ground to stop the slaughter of birds in Cyprus.
Illegal bird killing is no longer a traditional activity. Limesticks and mist nets are non selective trapping methods, killing more than 100 bird species, many of which are listed as threatened at a European and/or international level. Nowadays bird trapping takes place at an unprecedented scale, killing hundreds of thousands of birds for profit, and it is controlled by a network of ruthless criminals.
This ecological disaster must be stopped. I ask that real enforcement of the legislation is applied at all levels, from the trapping sites to the restaurateurs serving “ambelopoulia” and that deterrent court fines are imposed to convicted trappers. We expect that true results are achieved by 2012, the target year for eliminating the problem as stated by the Minister of Interior in his opening speech at the Larnaca conference.
I hope that you will do whatever is possible within your powers to eliminate illegal bird trapping in Cyprus.
Yours sincerely,
----------------------------------
Αξιότιμοι κύριοι Υπουργοί,
Όπως γνωρίζετε η παράνομη παγίδευση πτηνών με την χρήση διχτύων και ξοβέργων γίνεται ακόμα εκτεταμένα στην Κύπρο και τα τελευταία χρόνια παρατηρείται μια δραματική αύξηση. Τα στοιχεία παρακολούθησης του Πτηνολογικού Συνδέσμου Κύπρου για την παράνομη παγίδευση δείχνουν ότι εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες πουλιά έχουν θανατωθεί αυτό το φθινόπωρο. Ένα ξεκάθαρο και καλοδεχούμενο μήνυμα «μηδενικής ανοχής» ακούστηκε στο «Ευρωπαϊκό Συνέδριο για την Παράνομη Θανάτωση των Πτηνών», που έγινε στην Λάρνακα τον περασμένο Ιούλιο (2011). Εμείς, οι υπογράφοντες, ζητούμε τώρα όπως οι δηλώσεις πολιτικής βούλησης που έγιναν στο συνέδριο να μετατραπούν σε πράξεις στο πεδίο για να σταματήσει η σφαγή των πτηνών στην Κύπρο.
Η παράνομη παγίδευση πτηνών δεν αποτελεί πλέον μια παραδοσιακή δραστηριότητα. Ξόβεργα και δίχτυα αποτελούν μη επιλεκτικές μεθόδους παγίδευσης και σκοτώνουν πάνω από 100 είδη πτηνών, εκ των οποίων πολλά είναι καταγραμμένα ως απειλούμενα σε Ευρωπαϊκό και / ή παγκόσμιο επίπεδο. Σήμερα η έκταση της παγίδευσης πτηνών έχει φτάσει σε πρωτόγνωρα επίπεδα, σκοτώνοντας χιλιάδες εκατοντάδες πτηνά για κερδοφορία, και ελέγχεται από ένα δίχτυο αδίσταχτων εγκληματιών.
Αυτή η οικολογική καταστροφή πρέπει να σταματήσει. Σας καλώ όπως ληφθούν μέτρα για την αποτελεσματική εφαρμογή της νομοθεσίας σε όλα τα επίπεδα, από τις περιοχές παγίδευσης μέχρι τους εστιάτορες που προσφέρουν τα «αμπελοπούλια» και την επιβολή πιο αυστηρών ποινών σε καταδικασμένους παγιδευτές. Αναμένουμε ότι θα επιτευχθούν ουσιαστικά αποτελέσματα μέχρι το 2012, το έτος στόχο για εξάλειψη του προβλήματος όπως δήλωσε και στον χαιρετισμό του ο Υπουργός Εσωτερικών κατά την διάρκεια του συνεδρίου στην Λάρνακα.
Ελπίζω ότι θα πράξετε ότι είναι δυνατόν εντός των αρμοδιοτήτων σας για την εξάλειψη την παράνομης παγίδευσης πτηνών στην Κύπρο.
Με εκτίμηση,
This petition is now closed.
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