Government Notices published in Govt. Gazette No. 20,815 of 25th March 2022

IT is notified for general information that, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, the President of Malta has directed that the Hon. Chris Fearne, MD, FRCS (Ed), MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, assumes the additional duties of the Prime Minister on Friday, 25th March, 2022, during the absence from Malta of the Hon. Robert Abela, KUOM, BA, LLD, Adv. Trib. Melit., MP.

IT is notified for general information that the Hon. Robert Abela, KUOM, BA, LLD, Adv. Trib. Melit., MP, resumed duties as Prime Minister on Friday, 25th March, 2022, and that the arrangements made by Government Notice No. 334 of the 24th March, 2022, ceased to have effect accordingly.

Notice of Derogation

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by the fourth proviso to Regulation 10(6) of the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations (S.L. 549.42), the Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning, in conjunction with the Minister for Gozo, after giving due consideration to the outcome of the meeting of the Malta Ornis Committee held on the 16th March 2022, is hereby authorising derogation from the provisions of Regulation 4 (1) (a), (d) and (e) in line with the provisions of Regulation 9 (1) (e) to permit the capturing of up to nineteen (19) European Turtle-doves (Streptopelia turtur)for the purpose of affixing these specimens with satellite-tags, followed by their immediate release back into the wild. The validity period shall be from the first (1st) of April 2022 until the thirtieth (30th) of May 2022, both days inclusive. Authorisation is being granted for the purpose of research to monitor and assess the migratory routes of the specimens fitted with a satellite-tag, strictly under the conditions and controls stipulated in the licence issued for this purpose by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit. The information obtained through this study shall be provided to the Wild Birds Regulation Unit in the form of a detailed written report within six (6) months from the expiry date of the licence, followed by a final report within three (3) months from the date of last transmission of the satellite-tags.

Cessation of Moratorium on Spring Hunting of Turtle Dove

The Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning, in conjunction with the Minister for Gozo, after giving due consideration to the outcome of the meeting of the Malta Ornis Committee held on the 16th March 2022, declares the cessation with immediate effect of the moratorium on the application of spring hunting derogation for European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) as was declared on the 27th May 2016 by virtue of Government Notice No. 538, without prejudice to the decision as to whether or not such derogation shall be applied in future.

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by the fourth proviso to Regulation 10(6) of the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations (S.L.549.42), the Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning, in conjunction with the Minister for Gozo, notifies that the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) will be carrying out an exercise to taxonomically identify and mark with an identification device (tag) all stuffed specimens, including those in the process of being processed for the purpose of taxidermy, from the below listed bird species:

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

Hawfinch Coccothrausutes coccothraustes

Common Linnet Linaria cannabina

European Serin Serinus serinus

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

European Greenfinch Chloris chloris

Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

All persons in possession of mounted specimens (taxidermy) pertaining to these species, including those that were registered during the 1998 or 2003 amnesties and those that were not, as well as all persons in possession of specimens pertaining to these species in the process of being processed for the purpose of taxidermy, are requested to contact the WBRU on 229264/05/07/08/11 to book an appointment for the tagging of these specimens. Bookings will be open from the date of publication of this notice until the 31st of May 2022. Tagging of specimens will be carried out by appointment only at the location and on the date as will be specified by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit.

From the 1st of September 2022 onwards, only those specimens fitted with a unique identification device (tag) and those that fulfil the criteria of regulation 4(1)(e) of S.L.549.42 will be considered as legally possessed. Furthermore, only those specimens that fulfil the criteria of regulation 21(2)(a) and (b) of S.L.549.42 can be mounted or stuffed or in any manner processed for the purpose of preservation or taxidermy.

THE Commissioner of Inland Revenue notifies that, on the date shown hereunder, the price of gold and silver on which valuations made by the Consul for Goldsmiths and Silversmiths are based has been fixed for the purposes of article 14 of the said Act as follows: