Conservation of Wild Birds (Declaration on a Derogation for a 2024 Spring Hunting Season for Quail) Regulations, 2024. L.N. 85 of 2024.

These regulations to be read in conjunction with the Framework for Allowing a Derogation Opening a Spring Hunting Season for Turtle Dove and Quail 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".
The Minister took into consideration the favourable conservation status of Malta’s reference population of the Quail. Being the Quail 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 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". The text establishes the way to calculate the one percent (1%) of the total annual mortality of Malta’s reference population.
The period for the hunting of Quail in spring 2024 is established to be from the 10th April to the 30th of April 2024, both dates included, from two hours before sunrise until noon. The Spring Hunting Licence shall set the overall bag limit for the spring hunting season at two thousand and four hundred (2,400) Quails, as the total number of birds which may be hunted under the authority of all issued licences taken together.