A total of 6,746 of 10,811 licensed hunters did not report any turtle dove or quail catches during last autumn, according to an "independent scientific study" released today.

The study of the migratory influx during September and October 2014 states that a total 7,956 turtle doves and 45,683 quails migrated over the Maltese Islands, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Animal Rights said.

During three weeks in April 2014, when an identical study was also conducted, some 24,922 turtle doves and 37,773 quails were observed, showing that migration during spring was higher than migration in autumn. Field observations were made at 21 field monitoring sites located at various strategic positions around the Maltese Islands.

The Maltese government has always justified its continuation of hunting in spring on grounds that birds hunted down in autumn are not sufficient. The figures were released ahead of a referendum which is to dictate whether spring hunting in Malta should be stopped.

According to data for 2014 analysed by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit, some 2,480 turtle doves and 1,688 quails were hunted during last year’s autumn season.

Reported bags were lower than those reported for previous years due to poor extent of autumn migration and the fact that last year’s season was suspended between September 20 and October 11, the government said.

(See report in full on pdf below)