The hunters’ federation at a press conference today said a meeting in Malta of the Mediterranean members of FACE, the federation of hunters’ associations, had backed its call for hunting of Quail and Turtle Dove to be allowed in the spring.

The federation held a press conference at Buskett, where its officials said that the absence of birds despite hunting having been banned thisspring and for much of last spring confirmed how misleading BirdLife had been about the impact of hunting in Malta. The “millions” of birds promised once hunting stopped had not turned up.

The officials urged hunters to respect the law once the autumn season starts, and said they would not tolerate abuse.

Video shows comments (in Maltese) by Joe Perici Calascione, public relations officer of the hunters’ federation.