Friends of the Earth Malta together with Moviment Graffitti, Island Sanctuary, SPCA and Alternattiva Demokratika, yesterday called on politicians to abolish spring hunting.

Representatives from 15 organisations who gathered outside Parliament described the government's decision to open the season once again this year as highly arbitrary, undemocratic and irresponsible.

The NGOs presented a declaration to parliamentarians urging them to take a direct stand against this "unsustainable practice" by declaring it illegal. They also declared they had no confidence in the Ornis Committee on grounds that it lacked autonomy and impartiality.

The hunting season was cut short this year after a massacre of protected birds on one particular day, but the government has made it clear it still intends to try and retain Malta's hunting exemption in the EU by fighting the European Commission in the European Court of Justice.

The EU forbids spring hunting in all its member states and Malta should duly conform to such regulations, the organisations said. The government holds no right to a special derogation regarding spring hunting.

While applauding the decision to terminate the season early, the NGOs objected to the fact that by allowing the season to open, the government had sustained its efforts to justify spring hunting.

Spring hunting was damaging to both the environment and the birds, they argued, because the birds are targeted just before their reproductive period.

Reminding politicians that the majority of Maltese citizens object to hunting in spring, the NGOs said irresponsible people were resorting to the open season to shoot protected species.