Hunters urged to fill in form every time they go hunting this spring
FKNK says form is part of its 'scientific' work
Hunters have been urged to fill in a survey form every time they go hunting or trapping this spring.
Data submitted through the forms will be used by the Federation for Hunting and Conservation FKNK to create a “sustainability index” of hunted birds. The FKNK says the exercise – which sees hunters and trappers jot down how many birds they have spotted, caught or shot – is a “scientific study”.
Hunting of quail will be allowed from April 14 until May 4 this year. Hunting and trapping of turtle doves will be permitted between April 21 and May 4.
The seasons were approved by the government-led Ornis Committee after a court struck down an attempt by Birdlife to block the committee decision.
It is the third spring hunting season that the FKNK is running the self-reporting exercise. This year, it will be extended to quail in addition to the trapping of turtle doves.
In a statement, the FKNK said its members could obtain forms by emailing info@huntinginmalta.org.mt or by visiting the FKNK office in Msida. “FKNK members should have realised by now that the FKNK has managed to negotiate and secure the traditional spring hunting season also thanks to the eventually published results of such scientific surveys and studies,” it said, urging its members to take part.
Data about the number of birds caught by hunters is entirely self-reported and has been criticised by animal rights activists as being artificially low.
According to legal notices published this week, the national quotas for the 2025 spring season are 2,400 quail and 1,500 turtle doves.
There are no individual quotas, though official data suggests local hunters are terrible shots: figures compiled by the FKNK some years back suggested each registered hunter caught just 0.29 of a bird each during the 2022 spring hunting season.