BirdLife International and BirdLife Malta have welcomed the decision taken by the European Court of Justice this morning against spring hunting in Malta.

The court declared that Malta has breached European law by allowing spring hunting of Turtle Dove and Common Quail in 2004-2007.

The organisations said the ruling showed that this practice jeopardised the conservation of these species, which have been classified by BirdLife as being in unfavourable conservation status in Europe.

"As a consequence, BirdLife concludes spring hunting has to end permanently. Hunting in autumn can continue for these and 30 other species in Malta, under certain conditions laid out in the EU Birds Directive."

"This ruling is good news for millions of European birds, including Turtle Dove and Quail that cross Malta every spring on their dangerous migration back from Africa. Once again we have an example how the EU Birds Directive can help our common natural heritage", said Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International in Brussels.

"Malta needs to come in line with the Birds Directive and ban spring hunting. At the same time, as we have said many times before, Maltese hunters have every right to continue their practice during the autumn hunting season within the parameters of the law, and respecting the list of huntable species" said Joseph Mangion, BirdLife Malta's President.

They said that they expected the Prime Minister to use this court ruling as an opportunity to now focus on clamping down on illegal hunting.

See also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090910/local/ecj-decision-leaves-possibility-of-future-derogation-fknk