The spring hunting season this year is between April 12 and 30, both days included, the government said.

The national hunting bag limit has been established at 11,000 turtle doves and 5,000 quails. Hunters are not to exceed the daily bag limit of two birds and a seasonal bag limit of four birds per hunter.

Hunters are required by law to immediately report their catch via SMS on the numbers specified in their special licence.

The licence will be issued by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit within the Parliamentary Secretariat for Animal Rights to all eligible applicants as per procedure established by law.

This non-transferrable licence only permits the hunting of turtle doves and quails. Only the holders of a valid Carnet de Chasse are eligible to apply for the licence.

Eligible persons may apply for the licence between Monday and March 29 at any MaltaPost branch during office hours.

Government changes law to allow hunting on Sundays, public holidays - Birdlife

In a statement this evening, BirdLife accused the government of amending the law at the behest of the hunting lobby to allow hunting on Sundays and public holidays for the first time in seven years.

The organisation said that hunting on Sundays and public holidays was prohibited in previous years by the framework legislation governing spring hunting derogations, which was agreed with the European Commission in 2010.

“The government has made several changes to the legislation governing the spring hunting season unilaterally without these changes even being discussed by the Ornis Committee,” BirdLife Malta conservation manager Nicholas Barbara said.

The Ornis Committee, he said, had recommended the opening of a spring hunting season with the same conditions as last year.

But changes were made to reflect the hunters' demands made directly to the government.

The changes went against  the purpose of the framework legislation which was to try to ensure that the spring hunting derogation is controlled, limited and sustainable, Birdlife said.

It said that the legislation was also altered to give hunters extra time to apply for licences, removing one of the last remaining restrictions that limited the number of licences issued for hunting in spring.

"Allowing hunting on Sundays and public holidays also deprives every non-hunting Maltese citizen, resident and visiting tourist of the only opportunity they previously had to enjoy the countryside during these three weeks in spring when wildlife on the islands is arguably at its most spectacular, thanks to the migration of hundreds of species of birds on their way to breed in Europe," Birdlife said.