Bird conservation is an absolute value that should be upheld regardless of dates and amounts, according to Shout spokesman Mark Sultana.

Mr Sultana was speaking during the final Broadcast Authority debate on spring hunting ahead of Saturday’s referendum.

“You cannot talk about conservation and kill birds in spring,” he said, appealing to people not to ignore their emotions.

“These birds fly twice over the Sahara, twice over the Mediterranean, only to be killed in their last step as they prepare to breed. A No vote is an approval of life.”

Yes spokeswoman Kathleen Grima said the hunters’ campaign was about balance, and accused No campaigners of seeking to eradicate all hunting.

She said the Birds Directive allowed derogations for spring hunting on the grounds of “economic and recreational considerations” and that other countries in Europe allowed for hunting of different species in spring.

“The right to hunt in spring was given to us by law. Let’s keep and respect this right. Let’s sit down together and discuss the best way to go about it, but not abolish it,” she said.

“Different values and minorities must co-exist in society. This time it’s the hunters, but next time it will be someone else.”