Updated 12.20pm with hunters' statement
This year's controversial spring hunting season opens today and will run until April 14.
The 2017 spring hunting season will be open for quail only following a moratorium imposed last year on the turtle dove in reaction to statements by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella regarding the sustainability of a spring hunting season on the vulnerable species.
The national hunting bag limit has been set at 5,000 quail and hunters are not meant to exceed the daily bag limit of five quails and the seasonal bag limit of 10 quails per hunter. These have increased compared to previous years whilst timing remains the same with hunting being permitted between two hours before sunrise and noon for every day of the season.
Just over 6,650 hunters applied for this year's season, according to information supplied by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit.
The only reason Malta derogates from the European Birds’ Directive is purely because of political promises
BirdLife Malta insisted there is no scientific justification for spring hunting.
BirdLife CEO Mark Sultana said: "The only reason Malta derogates from the European Birds’ Directive is purely because of political promises. Scientific studies
commissioned by the government show there is a sufficient passage of quail in autumn while all those that understand the value of conservation know that birds flying towards their breeding grounds should not be killed but protected.”
It said controlling the quotas for quail has proven next to impossible in past seasons and this year individual quotas have been increased despite hunters barely declaring catching much in previous years during spring. It said that despite the rampant use of illegal electronic callers at night for quail, no move was made by the WBRU to clamp down on these by improving the system of administrative fines currently in place.
BirdLife urged the public to ensure environmental law enforcement remains a priority during this year’s hunting season.
Illegalities and cases of injured birds can be reported to the police on 119 and to BirdLife by calling 2134 7645/6 during office hours or hotline 7925 5697 for wildlife crime emergencies) during evenings and weekends. Other reports can be sent by e-mail to info@birdlifemalta.org.
Hunting season perfectly legal - KSU
Kaccaturi San Ubertu KSU insisted that hunters were practicing their hobby under a "perfectly legal hunting season" under derogation as permitted by EU directives.
As for the “scientific justification” cited for spring hunting, KSU made reference to the the EU-approved framework legislation that justifies the application of a derogation whenever the previous autumn hunt does not offer a "satisfactory solution".
It said that fat from the season opening due to “political promises” this year’s spring hunting season, similar to all others that were opened, was opened following the evaluation of fact.