Malta today argued in the European Court for the retention of turtle dove and quail hunting in spring, saying there was no satisfactory alternative.

However, the European Commission refuted the argument, referring to derogation reports submitted by the Maltese government showing that both species were caught in sufficient numbers in autumn, Birdlife said in a statement.

Lawyers representing the government and the European Commission this morning presented their case at the European Court, which is considering the case filed by the Commission to ban spring hunting in Malta.

Birdlife said that following today's hearing, the ECJ Advocate General was in the coming months expected to present its opinion to the Court, following which a ruling would be taken on the Malta spring hunting case.

Last year, the European Commission took Malta to court for having allowed spring hunting and trapping of Turtle Dove and Quail from 2004 to 2007. In April last year, the court issued interim measures ordering the Maltese government not to open a spring hunting season until a final ruling was given.

The government did not open the spring hunting season this year, a move BirdLife welcomed as a sensible step towards bringing hunting in line with the Birds Directive.

The case revolves around whether Malta has the legal right, under the Birds Directive, to grant a derogation permitting spring hunting, which is prohibited in all member states. In its application to the Court, the European Commission argued that such a derogation was not legally permissible, because autumn hunting presentedan alternative solution to spring hunting in Malta.

BirdLife said it shared the Commission’s view and stressed that it also sees the autumn hunting season as a feasible alternative.