2025 Spring Hunting Season for Turtle Dove) Regulations, 2025

L.N. 74 of 2025

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT

(CAP. 549)

Conservation of Wild Birds (Declaration on a Derogation for a

2025 Spring Hunting Season for Turtle Dove) Regulations, 2025

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by articles 54 and 55 of

the Environment Protection Act, the Minister responsible for the

environment in conjunction with the Minister for Gozo and Planning

and after consultation with the Environment and Resources Authority,

and after taking into consideration the recommendations of the Ornis

Committee, has made the following regulations:-

(1) The title of these regulations is the Conservation of

Wild Birds (Declaration on a Derogation for a 2025 Spring Hunting

Season for Turtle Dove) Regulations, 2025 and these regulations shall

be read in conjunction with the Framework for Allowing a Derogation

Opening a Spring Hunting Season for Turtle Dove and Quail

Regulations.

(2) These regulations are being issued in line with Article 9 of

Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds, hereinafter

referred to as the "Birds Directive".

(3) For the purposes of these regulations and within the

meaning of Article 9 of the Birds Directive, the Minister took into

consideration the favourable conservation status of Malta’s reference

population of the Turtle Dove, which is "Stable" * .

Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms and

expressions used in these regulations, shall have the same meaning as

assigned to them in the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations,

hereinafter referred to as the "Wild Birds Regulations" and in the

Framework for Allowing a Derogation Opening a Spring Hunting

Season for Turtle Dove and Quail Regulations.

For the purposes of these regulations, the Turtle Dove is

classified as a huntable species under Part B of Annex II of the Birds

Directive. In this context, the "small numbers" requirement within the

* 1 As detailed in the report dated February 2025 on the conservation status of the Turtle Dove (Streptopelia

turtur), which is available on the website: https://wbru.gov.mt/en/resources/reports-and-statistics/other-

reports/.

meaning of Article 9(1)(c) of the Birds Directive shall be understood

as "a sample in the order of one percent (1%) of the total annual

mortality of the population in question". For the purposes of these

regulations, "population in question" shall be understood with regard

to these migratory species, as the population of those regions within

the territory of the European Union from which the main contingents

passing through the region come, to which the derogation applies

during its period of application.

The one percent (1%) of the total annual mortality of Calculation of

Malta’s reference population of Turtle Dove shall be calculated as 1%

annual mortality

follows

of the reference

population.

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

Minimum breeding success: 2.029 chicks per pair (116,754 x

2.029) = 236,894

Mortality rate of first year birds: (236,894 x 68.90%) = 163,220

Mortality rate of adult birds: (233,508 x 36.70%) = 85,697

Total annual mortality: (163,220 + 85,697) = 248,917

1% of total annual mortality: (248,917 x 1%) = 2,489

For the purposes of the fourth proviso to regulation 10(6) of Establishment

the Wild Birds Regulations and for the purposes of these regulations, of

hunting season.

the period for the hunting of Turtle Dove in spring 2025 shall be from S.L. 549.42.

the 21st of April to the 4th of May 2025, both dates included, from two

(2) hours before sunrise until noon

Provided that the provisions of these regulations shall cease

to have effect and no hunting activity shall be permitted in the event

that the Minister orders, by notice in the Gazette or any other notice,

that the spring hunting season shall terminate immediately or at a date

as specified by the Minister.

For the purposes of these regulations, the spring hunting Hunting

season shall be in accordance with the provisions of the framework according

framework.

laid down by the Framework for Allowing a Derogation Opening a S.L. 549.57.

Spring Hunting Season for Turtle Dove and Quail Regulations and

subject to all the conditions as set out in the Spring Hunting Licence.

(1) The Spring Hunting Licence shall set the overall bag Special licence

limit for the spring hunting season at one thousand and five hundred and quotas.

(1,500) Turtle Doves, as the total number of birds which may be

hunted under the authority of all issued licences taken together.

(2) The Spring Hunting Licence shall cease to have effect in

the event that the Minister orders, by notice in the Gazette or any other

notice, that the spring hunting season shall terminate immediately or at

a date as specified by the Minister.

€0.27