The Federation for Hunting and Conservation-Malta (FKNK) said that it yesterday filed a Judicial Protest at the Law Courts, on behalf of its trapper members, regarding trapping. It was filed against the Prime Minister, “as the responsible Minister who to date has not declared an open autumn/winter season for the live-capture of turtle doves, quails, golden plovers and song thrushes, which season according to the Malta Ornis Committee recommendations should have opened since 1 September 2011 and close on 10 January 2012.”

The FKNK continued that it protested since: –

“its trapper members have effectively paid/renewed their trapping licences as early as last February, so that as is norm every year, when the season opens each member can legally trap unhindered;

– the same members have been suffering, and will continue to suffer serious prejudice damages;

– the members have a legal right to live-capture these unprotected species, who because of such this legal expectation anticipate to legally trap these birds on and between the months of September and January;

– when these members paid their respective licences, there were no indications whatsoever that they would be prevented from trapping these species, so much so, that in each personal trapper’s Carnet de Chasse it is clearly stated that the trapper was being granted the permission to trap those particular species.”

“Therefore,” the FKNK concluded, “it has formally requested the Prime Minister to open this trapping season for the four species in question forthwith.”

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