The government's plan to allow a spring hunting season of three weeks next year is "politically motivated" the hunters' federation said, as just 37 hunters turned up to register for the special licences yesterday.
Lino Farrugia, secretary of the hunters' federation, FKNK, said the government wanted to avoid any risk of being dragged into court by the European Commission this year in the knowledge that if Malta were fined it would be this Administration that would have to face the flak.
"Dr Gonzi is now saying that next year the government would open a three-week spring hunting season, in the knowledge that any court case initiated in 2011 would probably be concluded two years later, after the election. At that point it would be the new Administration that would face the music if the country is fined," he said.
Mr Farrugia was speaking to The Times on the first day that hunters could apply for the 2,500 special licences to hunt between April 24-30. There are around 10,000 registered hunters.
Only about 37 hunters had applied by 3 p.m., according to a spokesman for the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, defying the federation's directive to boycott the call.
Hunters have until Thursday to apply via any Maltapost branch but Mr Farrugia warned that FKNK would name and shame those who applied. Hunters would also have their membership withdrawn, he added.
Three hunting organisations have expressed their support for the stand taken by FKNK, which means hunters who apply for special licences would be ostracised by all organisations.
The government later issued a statement condemning the four hunters' organisations for reacting to the spring hunting decision with antiquated tactics and personal insults that led nowhere.
It said it had been decided to have a limited season this year so that while hunting in Spring could return, this possibility would not be lost forever. In the meantime, talks would continue with the European Union.
Mr Farrugia insisted the decision to open a mere six-day hunting season this year would only serve to undermine the government's case with the European Commission and set a "dangerous precedent" that would have a negative impact on spring hunting.
On Sunday the Prime Minister did not spell it out, but it appears that the government is looking at this year as a test on which to argue its case better with the Commission in the coming months.
The recommendations (of a longer season) made by hunters and subsequently amended by the Ornis Committee fell within the sustainability parameters stipulated by the European Court of Justice, Mr Farrugia added.
Meanwhile, the German-based Committee against Bird Slaughter (Cabs) said the government's decision to permit spring hunting of turtle dove and quail was "bad news" for the populations of the two endangered species.
Cabs president Heinz Schwarze said the derogation as applied by Malta was "legally very questionable" since hunting of birds on their return to breeding areas could never be considered sustainable.
The German conservation group will be sending a team of eight "bird guards" to Malta on Friday with the task of compiling data on the extent of illegal hunting for one week before and during the spring hunting season.
The criticism against opening the season mounted yesterday with another six environment groups condemning the government's decision to "appease" hunters.
Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, the Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Nature Trust and the Ramblers' Association also criticised the Labour Party for trying to gain political mileage and trying to appease the hunting lobby.
The NGOs criticised the hunting lobby for trying to give the impression that Ornis' recommendation to the government to open the season was an independent one.
"During the last Ornis meeting, the majority abstained or voted against the duration and bag quotas proposed by Mepa, but the decision was carried by the votes of the government-appointed chairman, the Mepa representative and a former assistant of a minister," the groups said, lambasting Mepa for supporting a spring hunting season.
BirdLife Malta yesterday said the police were ill-equipped to monitor illegal bird shooting and trapping, insisting they were unable to respond to almost half the reports of illegalities filed by two bird surveillance teams over the past few weeks.
The teams came across 78 illegal active finch trapping sites and filed 32 reports to the police, the bird conservation group said.
"In over 67 per cent of the cases it took more than an hour for the police to arrive, which meant most of the trappers had ample time to get away. Trappers were caught on only five occasions," BirdLife said.
The bird conservation group launched a Spring Watch camp to monitor illegal hunting.