The Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FKNK) has published a summary of the document that it submitted to the Ornis Committee which “included the representatives of BirdLife Malta,” containing information and any necessary scientific data for the recommendation of spring hunting for turtle dove.

A delegation from hunters’ organisation met with Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri at the Ministry in March to present its proposals. The Minister – a trapper himself – is responsible for hunting.

The proposals asked for the derogations to be applied so as to allow the traditional hunting of turtle dove and quail in April 2023, as well as in order to carry out “research” regarding the passage of turtle doves, a trapping season for turtle doves during the same period.

FKNK said that “although the Ornis Committee was not against this proposal for trapping, due to logistical and time constraints, the Committee did not see it opportune to make the recommendation of this proposal to the Minister at this point in time.”

FKNK said that based on this document the Committee “decided to recommend hunting in spring 2023 on the same parameters as the season that took place of hunting in spring 2022.”

The summary of the document, available in Maltese and with English below it, is available for download by clicking here.

Photo: FKNK

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