The government’s consultative committee on hunting is set to recommend the opening of a spring season for turtle dove despite a European Commission warning in February that Malta must stop spring hunting of the bird or face legal action.

The commission had argued that a derogation applied by Malta failed to comply with the conditions laid down in the Birds Directive and went against ongoing conservation efforts in member states.

Turtle dove is viewed as a threatened species. The government imposed a moratorium on its hunting in 2016, but that was lifted a few years later. 

On Wednesday, Federazzjoni Kaċċaturi Nassaba Konservazzjonisti said the Ornis committee had voted in favour of the proposal put forward by the hunters' lobby to recommend the government allows turtle dove and quail hunting this spring. 

The recommendation is to allow quail hunting from April 10 to 30 and turtle dove hunting from April 17 to 30, both days included, starting two hours before sunrise to midday.  

The national bag quotas will also remain the same as 2022: 2,400 for quail and 1,500 for turtle doves.