The present of genuine hunters in the countryside was the best deterrent to the illegal shooting of protected bird species, the Hunters' Federation said.

It said in a statement that BirdLife and by groups of foreigners, currently roaming the Maltese countryside surveying hunters, had so far only reported illegal shooting on two occasions.

These were a day prior to the opening of this spring hunting season, and last Sunday, when hunting was not permitted.

A security services company commissioned by the federation (FKNK) to monitor some of the BLM groups, was carrying such monitoring only during hunting hours.

The FKNK said it was investigating the BLM reports and it would revoke the membership of any member found guilty of shooting protected species.

It warned that it would not permit criminals, who persisted with shooting protected species, to undermine genuine hunters' rights to yet again practice their traditional socio-cultural passion of turtle dove and quail spring hunting through the application of a derogation.

These same hunters this year paid more than €280,000 to ensure strict enforcement by the police corps during the season.

"Although the FKNK is aware that the European Commission expects and respects the derogation application report from the member state, the FKNK will also send a report to the Commission regarding the application of the derogation this spring, which report will also include any verified incident of illegal shooting and any actions of the FKNK thereof.

"It is also envisaged that FKNK's report will include some activities of BLM's foreign groups, and also other activities that may occur by BLM's German partners CABS, which latter groups are expected to arrive in Malta later this week," FKNK said.

It said that the foreign groups were surveying hunters, who were practising their passions in a perfectly legal manner.