The spring hunting season opens tomorrow until the 30th of April, with a Legal Notice published on Friday for the hunting of turtle doves and quail, following the recommendation of the ORNIS committee in March.

Five members voted in favour, one against and one abstentions for removal of the moratorium on the spring hunting of turtle doves, which had been introduced for the 2017 spring hunting season.

Spring hunting for turtle dove opens on the 17th of April until the 30th, with a national bag limit of 1,500, far higher than that set for autumn 2021, when it was 500.

Hunting for the common quail opens tomorrow, the 10th of April until the 30th of April, with a national bag limit of 2,400 birds.

Hunting hours during the season will be from two hours before sunrise until 12pm every day of the season including weekends and public holidays.

BirdLife noting the announcement of spring hunting for turtle dove, argued that, “while all of Europe is protecting this endangered species from extinction, with some European countries also stopping hunting on this bird even in autumn, Malta will be killing it during spring, hunting it down a few days before it reaches its breeding grounds.”

Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, himself a trapper, has once again been given the responsibility of Wild Birds Regulation, which includes the regulation of hunting and trapping, a move that has been slammed by NGOs and conservationists.

Photo: BirdLife Malta

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