Hi,
Thank you Phil for your concerns and for posting.
It is absolutely illegal to capture birds during the night by any mean (mistnet or other techniques) let aside leaving the mistnets open all night.
In morocco, the governmental administration that deals with permissions to work in the field, capture animals etc…is called: “
Haut Commissariat aux Eaux et Forets et à la Lutte Contre la Désertification” or commonly abbreviated as “
les Eaux et Foret”. When you apply to get the permit to capture and ring birds, the first article of the permit explicitly says:
• The captured birds must be
immediately released after the ringing operation
• The capture during the night are
strictly prohibited
When I found the scanned version of a ringing permit I will post it, so you can read it yourself.
So, leaving the mistnests open all night is illegal and ethically unacceptable act. And to answer your question Phil, this is not a standard practice here in Morocco, but as you witnessed some people who think themselves above law they do it. The negative effect of this irresponsible work is especially worse in spring with nesting birds etc.
Also observed was writing details down while holding the bird in the same hand ! Non of which can be good for the birds welfare.
This is absolutely irresponsible and unethical as well; at most one can hold the bird with ONE hand and write with the SECOND hand. I am sure the ringers in this forum know very well that this is illegal and unethical at their respective home as well.
To conclude, this ringer (or ringers and whatever their nationalities, Moroccans or foreigners) he doesn’t show any respect to Morocco nor to Moroccan law and legislation in vigour in this matter.
Could you please provide more information about when you observed this and where is this Hotel Yasmina? And the ringer was a Moroccan or a European or a mixed group? Also, as David said did you asked the ringer on site, if so what was his reaction?
Thank you again
