European Commission Issues Final Warning to Malta Over Illegal Bird Hunting

30/01/2007 00:00:00 October 2007. The European Commission has announced that it will issue Malta with a final warning over its continued allowance of illegal spring shooting and hunting of quail and turtle dove, in contravention of the European Union’s Birds Directive. Malta is located on an important bird migration route in the Mediterranean. The European Union’s Birds Directive specifically protects birds during their perilous spring migration from Africa to their breeding grounds further north in Europe.

Turtle dove and quail are both suffering from declines across Europe, and in the UK both species appear on the red list of Birds of Conservation Concern.

With its partners across Europe, the RSPB has been campaigning for action against Malta’s illegal spring bird hunting and shooting. Alistair Gammell, the RSPB’s international director, said: ‘We believe the European Commission’s warning to Malta marks a turning point for bird conservation. If the island finally eradicates spring hunting this will be a victory for all those who have long campaigned for its abolition, including those 115,000 RSPB supporters who signed a petition delivered to the Maltese Prime Minister earlier this year.’ Birds of prey hunted
Tolga Temuge, CEO of BirdLife Malta, added: ‘Another spring hunting season in 2008 would mean that once again tens of thousands of turtle dove and quail would be put at risk while crossing Malta. In addition, every open spring hunting season is used as an excuse by some hunters to shoot many other species, protected in Malta and Europe, including birds of prey and herons. Some of these species, such as lesser kestrel, saker falcon and pallid harrier, are threatened with global extinction.’