The hunters' federation yesterday criticised the ban on afternoon hunting planned for the last two weeks of September, saying this was just a way to accommodate BirdLife and its foreign "spies".

"This measure is not part of EU legislation and has only been proposed by BirdLife Malta to accommodate foreigners... so they can come to Malta as spies and play policemen with Maltese hunters and trappers and be free to roam around Malta's countryside onto privately-owned land," the federation said.

It was referring to the bird-watchers who attend the regular Raptor Camp organised by BirdLife to monitor bird migration.

The government recently announced it would open the hunting and trapping season in autumn but in order to protect birds of prey it would restrict hunting between September 15 and 30 after 3 p.m.

The government also said it was willing to consider hunting on land from one locality during these times if a good self-regulation proposal was submitted. If the experiment succeeded there would be more of this in the coming season.

However, federation secretary Lino Farrugia said yesterday the federation had made an effective and efficient proposal for self-regulation some four years ago, so it would "definitely" not accept having to "experiment" with just one location.

"The federation will never accept such systems to be in force in just one particular and preferred area. These have to be imposed in all areas around Malta and Gozo where hunting is permitted," he said.