The hunters’ federation has gone to court over the suspension of the hunting season, holding the government responsible for damages suffered by the early closure and calling on it to immediately revoke its decision.

In a judicial protest filed yesterday, the FKNK said the government’s abrupt decision to temporarily close the autumn hunting season following the recent bird killings was “unfair” and amounted to a “collective punishment”.

The hunting ban did not go down well with those who had renewed their hunting licence in February, which according to the federation numbered 10,000 adults.

The protest was filed against Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Environment Minister Leo Brincat by FKNK president Joe Perici Calascione and its chief executive Lino Farrugia.

A hunter’s hide.

The hunting lobby argued that it was not fair that the general hunting population was being made to suffer the consequences of a few illegalities committed by “those who are not genuine hunters”.

The hunters questioned whether it was true that the government’s decision had been taken on the basis of scientific studies and also queried whether the government was really interested in the conservation of birds that can be legally hunted.

“Only one hunter has been charged with illegal hunting so far. Whoever shot protected species did not breach the rules of the hunting season but breached laws which are applicable throughout the whole year.”

They added: “By mixing the two, the government took on the role as a court of justice because all hunters were penalised, irrespective of whether they had committed any illegalities.”

The FKNK also argued that the government may have acted “beyond its powers”, and that it had “serious doubts as to whether its decisions were legal”.

The judicial protest was signed by lawyer Kathleen Grima.