The spring hunting season will open tomorrow after the Yes camp won Saturday’s referendum by the slenderest of margins.
The Yes camp captured 50.4 per cent of the vote to 49.6 per cent obtained by the No camp. This translated into a difference of just 2,220 votes.
Victory means the government will continue to derogate from the Birds’ Directive and allow a limited spring hunting season for turtle doves and quail. This year’s season will stay open until the end of April.
Turnout stood at 75 per cent, surpassing the legal requirement of 50 per cent plus one to validate the referendum.
The referendum was called by a coalition of green groups to abolish the law that makes spring hunting possible. It was the seventh referendum in 145 years but the first abrogative referendum sought by voters.
The anti-spring hunting campaign team conceded defeat shortly before 10am, when it became clear that the small majority for the Yes camp was unassailable. Shout spokesman Saviour Balzan, flanked by fellow campaigners Mark Sultana and Moira Delia, who had tears in her eyes, thanked supporters and said the result would be respected.
Addressing journalists at the counting hall, Mr Balzan said the No campaign tried to act as a catalyst for change and their work as individuals to raise awareness on the hunting issue would not stop.
But it was only 30 minutes later that the Yes camp claimed victory. Until then officials from the hunting federation, FKNK, had kept urging caution as they waited for further confirmation of the result.
It was FKNK president Joe Perici Calascione, flanked by CEO Lino Farrugia, who finally declared victory at the hall as hunters cheered and carried them shoulder high.
Kathleen Grima, the charismatic lawyer who fronted the Yes campaign, was nowhere to be seen at the counting hall. She eventually addressed a gathering of hunters in Qormi in the afternoon.
Mr Farrugia told hunters to enjoy themselves but urged respect. He thanked those who voted to support the hunters’ cause.
In a statement, the FKNK described it as “a historic result” and directed members not to antagonise anyone, especially those who disagreed with hunting.
Hunters immediately started celebrating with carcades in several localities, while celebratory shooting was heard in San Ġwann, Żabbar and Mellieħa.
In Qormi celebrations in the main square turned into a meeting that was addressed by FKNK officials and Dr Grima.
Shortly after the result was confirmed, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the spring hunting season would open on Tuesday.
He said the close referendum result served as a warning for hunters and insisted he would not tolerate abuse. Dr Muscat said people had given honest hunters a last chance to practise their sport but they had to realise the game had now changed. He expected greater cooperation to weed out abusers.
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said the Nationalist Party would respect “without reservation” the people’s verdict.
“It is everybody’s duty now, especially the government’s, to ensure the verdict is implemented.”
Vote sorting started at 9am under the watchful eye of political party agents who took note of every Yes and No vote. Within 20 minutes word was out that the Yes vote was ahead but it was still too close to call.
It took another 20 minutes, when more voting samples were sorted, for a clearer picture to emerge, putting the Yes vote in the driving seat.
But the hopes of the hunting lobby had already been boosted on Saturday night, when turnout figures showed stronger voter mobilisation in hunter hotbeds like Gozo and the fifth and sixth districts.
Additional reporting: Sarah Carabott, Ivan Martin and Keith Micallef