Updated 12pm with BirdLife statement

The season for hunting at sea will remain open until the end of January in spite of Birdlife Malta's plea to the Ornis Committee following a "massacre" of protected ducks.

The shooting down of the ducks took place while the Ornis Committee meeting was in session on Wednesday.

BirdLife said over 10 of these protected ducks from a flock of 23 were observed being gunned down.

"Although the culprits escaped, the owner of the boat in question was identified and investigations are ongoing. Photos and footage of this illegal act were collected," it said.

BirdLife Malta requested that Ornis recommends on the spot the closure of the hunting season at sea but the motion put forward was voted down.

The hunters’ federation said in a statement the BirdLife proposal would have constituted a collective punishment which was in itself illegal, as were the three similar actions in recent years.

Birdlife’s proposal to the Ornis Committee was shot down thanks to the votes of the hunters’ federation, the three government representatives as well as with the abstentions of the Environment Resources Authority representative and chairman, the federation said.

In spite of the rejection, BirdLife said it is nonetheless appealing to the government to take action and "show for a fact that the rampant illegalities are not tolerated, by closing the season".