The ORNIS committee has recommended opening spring hunting for quail and turtle dove despite a lack of information on last season’s catch, conservation NGO BirdLife Malta has said.
In a press conference outside Castille on Thursday, the organisation said that to set a quota for spring hunting, the catch from the previous autumn hunting season must be taken into consideration.
However, out of the 9,884 people who held a license to hunt last autumn, only 387 registered any catch.
In view of this, the committe has not recommended an exact bag limit for spring hunting and has left the matter for the government to decide.
BirdLife said it was the only entity that voted against opening the season while the Environment and Resources Authority abstained.
“It is now up to Prime Minister Robert Abelato decide whether he wants to continue confronting the European Union’s directives,” head of conservation Nicholas Barbara said.
Malta is currently facing open infringement proceedings at different levels on all of its derogations, they said, and that “excuses” Malta has made by saying that the trapping of turtle doves is being carried out for “scientific reasons” has not convinced the European Commission.
Malta is also expected to be arraigned at the European Court of Justice soon for allowing the trapping of finches, and, just last month, the Commission sent Malta a letter of formal notice for reopening the spring hunting season for turtle doves despite the bird’s vulnerable status, they pointed out.
The group called on the civil service to stand up to be counted on conservation issues and not let political will influence their decisions when scientific evidence does not support that conclusion.
They also called on police commissioner Angelo Gafà to step up enforcement on hunting illegalities, particularly in Gozo, where they said no EPU officers are patrolling for illegalities.
“Why are you relying on volunteers to do your job for you,” President Darryl Grima asked.
The activists also laid a statuette of a dead turtle dove on the steps of Castille, saying that as opposed to the beautiful images of live birds that are presented to politicians, that is the reality of hunting in the country.
The called on the government to “do the right thing” and not open the spring hunting season as well as having a “serious” enforcement unit that can handle the “illegalities” that are happening, particularly in Gozo.
“Opening a spring hunting season is both ridiculous and insulting,” CEO Mark Sultana said.
“Our country’s reputation has hit rock bottom, much like the conservation status of the turtle dove.”