Spring hunting for turtle dove set to return after Ornis votes in favour

The Ornis Committee voted in favour of lifting the moratorium on turtle dove hunting in spring, in a decision taken on Wednesday.

The committee entrusted with the conservation of wild birds, voted in favour of spring hunting for turtle doves with five votes in favour, one against and one abstention. BirdLife Malta voted against.

The moratorium had been introduced in 2017 following the classification of the turtledove by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as a vulnerable species.

BirdLife Malta said Ornis decided that this year’s spring hunting season for turtle doves should run from 17 to 30 April with a national bag limit of 1,500 birds.

These recommendations will now be made to government. It is the minister who eventually decides on the opening of a spring hunting season.

“This means that as widely anticipated, following pressure from the hunting lobby, the vulnerable turtle dove will start being hunted again in spring in Malta, when it is on its way to its breeding grounds,” BirdLife said.

“While all of Europe is protecting this endangered species from extinction, with some European countries also stopping hunting on this bird even in autumn, Malta will be killing it during spring, hunting it down a few days before it reaches its breeding grounds.”

In a statement the hunting organisation, FKNK, said the committee agreed to recommend a derogation to permit turtle dove and quail hunting for a short period, under strict supervision and for very small numbers in April.

It said it will give more details during a press conference on Thursday.