Declaration of the Maltese Honey Bee as a National Species

CONSULTATION BRIEF 

Start date: 19 February 2024

Closing date: 18 March 2024

Title of the public consultation: Declaration of the Maltese Honey Bee as a National Species

Ministry: Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour (MEER)

Entity: Environment and Resources Authority (ERA)

  1. Background

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are important species in terms of agriculture and biodiversity and are an important economic asset which provide essential ecosystem services including pollination and production of bee products, such as honey, propolis, royal jelly and beeswax. There are about eleven subspecies of honey bees in Europe, which evolved due to geographic isolation.

The subspecies Apis mellifera ruttneri, the Maltese honey bee, evolved due to the isolation of the Maltese Islands, and is therefore endemic and unique to the Maltese Islands. The Maltese honey bee is adapted to Malta’s hot arid summer, thus serving as an essential pollinator during this period. Studies also show that the adaptation of the Maltese honey bee makes the species a better candidate for apiculture rather than imported Italian subspecies, particularly after taking into account climate change considerations.

In this regard, the Maltese honey bee merits conservation for its unique behavioural traits and adaptation to the local climate, while also acting as a flagship species for pollinators. This will also have wider socio-economic benefits in the beekeeping industry. The Maltese honey bee is threatened by climate change and habitat loss, as well as the hybridisation with imported alien honey bees.

  1. Consultation

This proposal concerns an amendment to the Species Protection (Designation of National Species) Regulations (S.L. 549.120) to declare the Maltese honey bee as a national species. Through this amendment, existing penalties and other requirements applicable under S.L. 549.120 to national species of the Maltese Islands will therefore also apply to the Maltese honey bee.  Licenses granted under the Bee Keeping Regulations (S.L. 36.36) will be considered as valid permits under S.L. 549.120 and S.L. 549.44 to streamline existing legal permitting processes, hence avoiding added burdens to beekeepers.

  1. Documents

Species Protection (Designation of National Species) (Amendment) Regulations

Regolamenti tal-2023 li jemendaw ir-Regolamenti dwar il-Ħarsien ta’ Speċi Protetti (Dikjarazzjoni ta’ Speċi Nazzjonali)

Public Submissions and Responses

  1. Submission of feedback

Comments are being invited through the feedback form at publicconsultation.gov.mt or otherwise by email through [email protected]

  1. Further notes

Please be informed that comments submitted, together with the identity of the contributor, may be published online at the end of the public consultation, unless the contributor objects to the publication of his/her personal data. In this case, the contribution may be published in anonymous form.

All comments submitted shall be duly considered.