The FKNK hunters' federation said this evening that it had been outvoted at an Ornis committee meeting where it opposed a proposal for the retention of the curfew on hunting during the afternoon in September.

Such a curfew has been in place for five years.

"This afternoon ban only serves to give more freedom of movement to abolitionist organisations whilst depriving the Maltese hunters from participating in a full open hunting season as opposed to their counterparts in all other European Member states for whom an open season is an open season," the federation said.

The Committee decided to recommend to the Minister of the Environment that a ‘curfew’, albeit maybe with revised timings, should still be imposed this autumn.

A proposal for collective punishment for hunters should the curfew be violated, was defeated.

Live-finch capturing will most likely not be permitted

The FKNK added that live finch capturing is unlikely to be allowed since Government fears it is not adequately prepared to apply the relative derogation in time.

The federation said that, quite some time ago, supplied Government, the Opposition and the Ornis Committee with adequate proposals and tools for the correct application of derogations.