The Spring Hunting season on European Turtle-dove cannot open on Sunday, after the courts on Wednesday provisionally accepted a request for an injunction on the hunting season filed by BirdLife Malta.

In a statement announcing the news, BirdLife Malta said that it is very satisfied to receive the Court notification announcing that it has provisionally accepted a Warrant for Prohibitory Injunction filed earlier this week to stop the spring hunting season on the Vulnerable European Turtle-dove, while setting the date to hear the case and decide on the request on Tuesday 19th April at 9am.

“This automatically means that the spring hunting season for the Turtle-dove will not open this coming Sunday 17th April,” the NGO said.

BirdLife Malta President Darryl Grima stated: “We are satisfied that the local Law Courts have understood the urgency on this matter and that they have the responsibility and the power to safeguard the European Directives in our country. Our Law Courts are also European Law Courts with full powers provided to them by the European Union’s Directives themselves. As a Member State we need to abide by EU regulations and directives and the local Law Courts are a way for any citizen and civil society to seek remedy for breaches of the European Directives, including the EU Birds Directive.”

BirdLife Malta said that it will be writing to the Commissioner of Police and the Head of the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) to ensure that they are aware of this development and that no one can hunt Turtle-doves this spring before the case is decided on Tuesday, and only if the case is lost.

Anyone hunting for European Turtle-doves will therefore be breaking the law, the NGO said, adding that the WBRU has the responsibility and obligation to inform all hunters about this decision.

BirdLife Malta thanked its legal team, namely Mark Soler, Claire Bonello and Philip Manduca, who are all set for Tuesday’s hearing.

FKNK files an objection in Court

On their part, the Federation for Hunting and Conservation – Malta (FKNK) filed an application in Court against the Warrant of Prohibitory Injunction that BirdLife Malta filed against the Government requesting it not to open the Turtle Dove hunting season from Sunday 17 April 2022 as expected.

The FKNK said that it has done this to be able to intervene in the relative case as the same FKNK represents the vast majority of hunters who are already licensed to hunt turtle doves from Sunday.

Hunters will continue to be adequately updated by the FKNK, which may issue directives if, when and as necessary, the FKNK said.