A report proposing lifting the moratorium on spring hunting has been submitted to the government and the Nationalist Party by the Federation for Hunting and Conservation.

The report, “Traditional Turtle Dove Hunting in Spring on the Maltese Islands – Lifting of the Moratorium”, is based on research and studies undertaken by the FKNK since the introduction of the moratorium in 2016.

The FKNK said that, on the basis of the findings, results, discussions and relative validation analysis made in the report, the FKNK believed that the Maltese government can immediately lift the current moratorium.

It said that since the report thoroughly demonstrated that Malta’s turtle dove spring harvest had a nil effect on the breeding populations in Europe’s reference population countries, the government could apply a derogation to permit turtle dove hunting in the spring of 2019.

The report, the FKNK said, was carried out without prejudice to the hunting of the quail in spring.

The FKNK urged the government to show its political will and immediately open discussions with the European Commission for a long term solution to be reached on the matter.