The Hunters' Federation (FKNK) has filed a judicial protest against the Prime Minister and the Minister for the Environment over their decision to suspend the autumn hunting season.

Joe Perici Calascione, president, and Lino Farrugia, CEO, representing the federation, called on the government to revoke its decision and held it responsible for damages.  

They said the federation's 10,000 members had paid up their licence so that they would be able to hunt without hindrance. The regulations provided that hunting could take place under certain conditions from September 1 to January 31.

Hunting at sea could take place from October 1 to January 31. 

The federation said it had reservations over whether the suspension of the hunting season was justified at law, since the extreme circumstances to merit such a decision were not present.

The government's decision went against the principle of legitimate expectation and amounted to collective punishment where the hunters who observed the law were unjustly stopped from hunting because of the actions of people who were not genuine hunters and who had broken the law and shot at protected birds. 

The federation said that while the government had said it acted on the basis of scientific and technical reports, it was not consulted and did not know who had submitted such reports. 

It called on the government to revoke its decision and held it responsible for the consequences of not doing so.

Lawyer Kathleen Grima signed the protest.

The government on Saturday said it was suspending the season up to October 10 because of persistent shooting at protected birds.