Enforcement officers have registered 15 hunting offences between Saturday, the first day of the season, and Wednesday, the government said.

The offences comprised of two cases of illegal trapping, two cases of hunting within prohibited distances, two cases of possession of a shotgun capable of holding more than two rounds in its magazine, a case of an overloaded shotgun, two cases of possession of cartridges loaded with lead shots exceeding the permissible size in diameter, a case involving the shooting a swallow, which is protected, a case of possession of pre-recorded bird calls during hunting activity and four cases of failure to declare going for a hunt on the carnet de chasse booklet. Suspects are being prosecuted.

The government said that some 70 law enforcement officers deployed in the field to monitor the countryside between 5am and 2pm conducted more than 530 spot-checks to ensure compliance with regulations and licence conditions.

Spot-checks were conducted in addition to several hundred routine patrols and inspections carried out during and after permitted hunting hours.

A total of 12 suspected offenders were apprehended: three on the 12th, one on the 13th, two on the 14th; one on the 15th and five on the 16th.

Around 37 enforcement officers were deployed to monitor the countryside after permitted hunting hours until 9.30pm.

The joint police/AFM enforcement operation is supported by the Specialist Enforcement Branch of the Wild Birds Regulation Unit on a 24-hour basis.

Field surveillance was supported with an unmanned aerial vehicle on the 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th. Between Saturday and Wednesday, the drone flew 10 sorties ranging between 15 and 30 minutes each over protected areas during times when hunting was not permitted.