BirdLife Malta has written to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat objecting to any changes to the spring hunting season both in terms of dates and the species which could be hunted. 

The letter was sent following the Ornis Committee’s recommendation made earlier this week to the government for the season to be opened between April 10 and 30. Spring hunting in 2018 was allowed between April 1 and 21.

The NGO said that these dates coincide with the peak migration of the
vulnerable Turtle Dove and would serve as a smokescreen for hunters to illegally
target this species.

BirdLife Malta also referred to the report presented by the hunting lobby calling for the lifting of the moratorium on the hunting of Turtle Dove in spring. A vote on this will be taken at the next Ornis Committee meeting planned for Tuesday since the committee members did not have access to the full report prior to last Wednesday’s meeting.

“We are ready to understand that things do not change suddenly, but we reiterate that apart from the fact that enforcement leaves much to be desired, we categorically oppose any changes in dates for a hunting season of Quail and we can never accept a spring hunting season of any form or duration on the Turtle Dove,” BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana wrote.

A copy of the letter was also sent to Minister Josè Herrera, Parliamentary Secretary Clint Camilleri, EU Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella, BirdLife International CEO Patricia Zurita and IUCN director general Inger Andersen.