Prime Minister, Lawrence Gonzi, announced in Parliament earlier this afternoon, that an agreement had been reached between the government and the European Commission over spring hunting.
In a legal notice published today it states that hunters may hunt a maximum of 5,000 quails as well as 11,000 turtle doves, providing they do not exceed a quota in the autumn season of 20,000 for each of the species. If less than10,000 of each species of bird is hunted in atumn, then hunters will be able to have the full quota in spring. If over 10,000 per species are hunted in the autumn, then the spring quota will be reduced.
The calculations are made through a mathematical formula which achieves the total number of turtle dove and quail that are allowed to be shot in spring.
The Prime Minister said that the agreement had been reached after months of negotiations and urged hunters to abide with the notice, which will include enforcement proceedures, to avoid the loss of future spring hunting.
The Prime Minister also said that the European Commission had the agreement as the “absolute maximum acceptable position.”