There was positive feedback – except, of course, from the hunters – on the government’s decision of Thursday evening to put a stop to the spring shooting season for turtle doves and quails with immediate effect, with many praising the government for the decision taken, while others said that it came a little late.

Positive comments were also received from the chairman of the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee, Marcin Libicki, who welcomed the decision and described it as a “step in the right direction”. Mr Libicki last year authored a report condemning spring hunting.

“It remains, however, essential that the Maltese authorities follow through this decision with a clear commitment that there will be no more spring hunting next year, nor the year after, nor ever,” he said.

The Hunters’ and Trappers’ Federation (FKNK) insisted that the decision was unfair and discriminatory because it considered everyone by the same measure and ignored the thousands of “serious hunters” who have observed the regulations without hesitation.

The FKNK asked Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for an urgent meeting to discuss the matter. It is understood that the Prime Minister’s Office has not yet given a date or confirmed whether a meeting would actually be held.

In its statement released late on Thursday evening, the FKNK said the government was “unable to exercise proper enforcement: and consequently chose to amputate rather than heal the ailment.”

In a statement, Alternattiva Demokratika said it felt that the government’s decision to close down the hunting season with immediate effect was “too little, too late”.

“While AD cannot hide its satisfaction that the hunting season has been closed down early, since AD has always maintained that hunting practices in Malta generally serve to make our countryside inaccessible, closing the season just 10 days before the actual day it should have been closed, is surely no reason to celebrate. This is a case of too little too late,” it said.

AD environment spokesman Ralph Cassar said that EU membership was finally having an effect and that the basic standards, even with regard to hunting, had to be implemented.

“That is what people voted for in the EU accession referendum. AD will continue to press for rehabilitation of the countryside and the creation of more natural parks,” he said.

AD chairman Harry Vassallo said the winding-down of the hunting season 10 days before time was not the breaking news; the news should be “that this season should have never opened in the first place.”

The Graffitti Movement also welcomed the decision to stop the hunting season. It said it had repeatedly expressed its concerns regarding the fact that spring hunting was easily and regularly utilised as an ideal excuse to hunt protected species.

The movement expressed hope that spring hunting would be abolished for good, in line with EU regulations.

Din l-Art Helwa expressed support for the government’s decision to end the spring hunting season 10 days before it was scheduled to close, as a reaction to the shooting of protected species earlier this week.

The organisation said hunting regulations must be strictly observed and the government must not tolerate any illegal hunting activity.