Update The Government said this afternoon that “having considered recommendations made by the Ornis Committee, applicable legal provisions regulating hunting, as well as the Policy Guidelines for Hunting and Trapping of Birds in Malta, it has today published L.N. 279 of 2012 (Conservation of Wild Birds – Declaration of the Periods for Hunting in Autumn – Winter 2012 – 2013 Regulations, 2012).”

“By virtue of these Regulations, the hunting of birds on land will be permitted between the 1st September 2012 and the 31st January 2013, between two hours before sunrise and two hours after sunset on any day between Monday and Saturday, and between two hours before sunrise and 1.00pm in the afternoon on Sundays and Public Holidays,” the Government said.

“In order to safeguard the passage of protected species, hunting on land between the 15th September 2012 and the 30th September 2012 shall not be permitted from Monday to Saturday after 3.00pm and two hours before sunrise of the next following day.” The Governement said that this provision has been included in order to safeguard raptor migration which is anticipated to peak between 15th and 30th September.

The Regulations also permit the hunting of birds at sea between the 1st October 2012 and the 31st January 2013.

The Police will monitor closely the observance of hunting regulations and conditions. The Government went on to say that it “demands nothing short of strict compliance with the hunting regulations established at law, whilst infringements will not be tolerated. It is the duty of each and every individual hunter to comply and adhere vigorously with the law. It is in the interest of hunting organisations and of individual hunters to ensure that no illegal hunting takes place since this would otherwise jeopardise any possible future hunting derogations.”

The Ornis Committee also recommended the application of a limited derogation for the trapping of Golden Plover and Song Thrush, subject to fulfilling a number of conditions. In conjunction with this, Government requested additional information. An assessment will be made after when it has been received.

Update: The FKNK in a statement issued following the announcement of the dates, complained about the fact that the Government left the announcement of the dates just 3 days beofre the season was due to start, not allowing hunters and trappers time to plan ahead, in cases where they need to book leave.

The FKNK also said that in other EU countries dates for hunting are fixed, unlike Malta. It also said that it was a “discrimination against hunters to ban hunting after 3pm between the 15th September 2012 and the 30th September, which again no other EU state does.”

FKNK said that it regretted that trapping was not being allowed for yet another year, after the Governement said that the “Ornis Committee recommended the application of a limited derogation for the trapping of Golden Plover and Song Thrush, subject to fulfilling a number of conditions. In conjunction with this, Government requested additional information. An assessment will be made after when it has been received.”

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