The government this afternoon defended its decision to open a limited spring hunting season, while it explained its intention to have a three-week Spring hunting season as from next year.

In a statement, the government regretted the tone and content of statements issued by hunters' associations and said they indicated that there were some who wanted to use the tactics of the past, including personal insults, even though they led nowhere.

The facts, it said, were simple. Spring hunting would be allowed again this year after having been banned for the past two years. This had become possible after the government defended this possibility in the European Court, which confirmed the government's argument that a derogation was possible although the number of birds caught had to be significantly reduced.

It had been decided to have a limited season this year so that while hunting in Spring could return, this possibility would not be lost for ever. In the meantime, talks would continue with the European Union.

The government's aim is to have a season running between April 10 and 30 for a combined bag of 24,406 quail and turtle dove.

Those numbers and dates were established after studies of the breeding population in the EU and migration patterns.

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