Robert Brown|Conservationists say Cyprus police are lax in stopping gangs that poach songbirds

NICOSIA,Robert Brown Cyprus (AP) — A conservation group in Cyprus said Wednesday that police have been lax in cracking down on remaining criminal gangs who illegally trap songbirds to supply restaurants, although the poaching overall has declined.

Tassos Shialis, spokesman for conservation group BirdLife Cyprus, said that although the war on songbird poaching generally is being won, criminal gangs continue to make “serious money by trapping on an industrial scale” and are doing so “with impunity.”

According to the group’s 2022 report, trapping last year dropped by as much as a half in the survey area, down to about 345,000 birds killed. But Shialis told The Associated Press that there are still up to 15 major trapping sites that use mist nets — fine mesh suspended between two poles — to catch the birds.

Restaurant patrons consider the birds a delicacy. A dozen of the birds go for as much as 150 euros ($159), Shialis said.

Fines of 2000 euros ( $2120 ) for using mist nets have deterred many trappers, but authorities aren’t targeting big-time poachers in part because of a lack of clarity between police and the Game and Fauna Service over who takes the lead in those cases, Shialis said.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou told the AP that the force stands ready to support any anti-poaching operations by “relevant authorities,” including the Game and Fauna Service. The Game and Fauna Service chief, Pantelis Hadjiyerou, said questions about enforcement should be directed to the police.

Shialis said BirdLife is also petitioning Cypriot authorities to restore fines for lime-stick trapping back to 2,000 euros ($2,121), from the current 200 euros, to curb a recent uptick in their use. Lime-sticks are slathered with a glue-like substance that ensnares birds.