Updated at 5.15pm with Kaċċaturi San Ubertu statement

There is no justification for yet another spring hunting season, Birdlife charged today, after the controversial practice was given the go-ahead last night. 

The organisation said its position against a spring hunting season remains guided by an important conservation value – that birds should not be killed while migrating north to their breeding grounds.

The Ornis Committee has recommended a three-week spring hunting season for quail. It is recommending to the government that the season should stretch from March 25 to April 14. That would be slightly longer than last year's season, which was between April 17 to 30.

A final decision on the season will be taken by the government.

Birdlife insisted that the final decision should be based on scientific facts and reminded the government that political promises do not justify a derogation from the EU Birds Directive.

Kaċċaturi San Ubertu statement

In a statement this afternoon, Kaċċaturi San Ubertu (KSU) said the right to derogate for hunting turtle dove and quail was acquired following an ECJ ruling and endorsed by a public vote in a costly referendum.

Due to a controversial change in the classification of turtle dove shortly after last year’s derogation period, KSU supported a voluntary moratorium on the spring hunting of this bird until facts were established as proposed by the hunters' federation.

"Considering the favourable status of the common quail, KSU state that far from being a political promise there is absolutely no reason not to apply derogation once last autumn’s harvest of this bird necessitates a satisfactory solution in spring."

Birdlife Malta’s position “guided by an important conservation value – that birds should not be killed while migrating north to their breeding grounds” was against the principles of the EU Birds Directive permitting derogation in spring as in the case of Malta and several other EU states, KSU said.

It said it hoped that, as was done in the case of the turtle dove a change in the conservation status of the common quail would not inexplicably coincide with the announcement of this year’s spring derogation period.