SPRING HUNTING & TRAPPING SUSTAINABILITY

As in previous years, during the 2026 spring hunting season, the Federation for Hunting and Conservation – Malta (FKNK) carried out surveys to determine the 'sustainability index' of hunted and trapped turtle doves.  Again this year, the surveys were extended to include quail. The trappers who took part in the Turtle Dove 'Trapping' Research Programme, which was permitted for the first time last year, also took part in the turtle dove survey.  The surveys were once again made possible through the voluntary participation of a number of FKNK hunter and trapper members, whom the FKNK would like to thank wholeheartedly for their contribution. 

Logistics:

(i) The trappers averaged 7% of the total participants.

(ii) The participants in this year’s Study compiled the adequate Forms prepared by the FKNK and returned the Forms to the FKNK at the end of the seasons.

(iii) The Spring turtle doves hunting and research programme in 2026 ran on and in between 20 April and 3 May, from 2 hours before sunrise up to mid-day, with a national bag limit of 1500, while the quail hunting season was open on and in between 13 April and 3 May, with the same permissible hours as for turtle doves, with a national bag limit of 2400, by application of Derogations from the “Birds” Directive through the respective Legal Notices.

Study Results

  Turtle Doves

  Hunters only:

(i) Average observed turtle doves per hunter and trapper in season =      38	39
(ii) Average harvest and catch opportunity per hunter and trapper in  season =                                                                                                      5	5
(iii) Average harvest and capture per hunter and trapper in season =        1	1
(iv) Average effort hours per hunter and trapper in season =                    48	49
(v) Average observed turtle doves per hour per hunter and trapper =         0.83	0.85
(vi) Average opportunity per hour per hunter and trapper =                         0.11	0.12
(vii) Average harvest or catch per hour per hunter and trapper =                0.03	0.03
(viii) Average fraction of opportunity per hour harvested or caught per  hunter and trapper =                                                                                     0.28                                                                                                                        or                                                                                                                       28% (ix) Sustainability Index: (average fraction of opportunities per hour per  hunter and trapper that evaded harvest or capture) =                                 0.72                                                                                                                        or                                                                                                                           72%	0.25     or   25%

Turtle Doves

Trappers only:

(i) Average observed turtle doves per trapper in season =	55
(ii) Average harvest and catch opportunity per trapper in season =	10
(iii) Average harvest and capture per trapper in season =	1
(iv) Average effort hours per trapper in season =	55
(v) Average observed turtle doves per hour per trapper =	1.04
(vi) Average opportunity per hour per trapper =	0.19
(vii) Average catch per hour per trapper =	0.01
(viii) Average fraction of opportunity per hour caught per trapper =	0.07     or   0.07%
(ix) Sustainability Index: (average fraction of opportunities per hour per               trapper that evaded capture) =	0.93     or   93%

Turtle Doves

Hunters & Trappers:

(i) Average observed turtle doves per hunter and trapper in season =         39	39
(ii) Average harvest and catch opportunity per hunter and trapper in  season =                                                                                                         5	5
(iii) Average harvest and capture per hunter and trapper in season =           1	1
(iv) Average effort hours per hunter and trapper in season =                       49	49
(v) Average observed turtle doves per hour per hunter and trapper =           0.85	0.85
(vi) Average opportunity per hour per hunter and trapper =                           0.12	0.12
(vii) Average harvest or catch per hour per hunter and trapper =                  0.03	0.03
(viii) Average fraction of opportunity per hour harvested or caught per  hunter and trapper =                                                                                      0.25                                                                                                                         or                                                                                                                        25% (ix) Sustainability Index: (average fraction of opportunities per hour per  hunter and trapper that evaded harvest or capture) =                                  0.75                                                                                                                         or                                                                                                                           75%	0.25     or   25%

Following 70% in 2022, 76% in 2023, 66% in 2024 and 67% in 2025, this year's Sustainability Index results of 72%, 93% and 75% respectively above, are once more strong indicators of the justifiable spring hunting and trapping of turtle doves on the Maltese Islands.

Study Results

Quails:         

(i) Average flushed/seen quails per hunter in season = 6

(ii) Average harvest opportunity per hunter in season, same as (i) above = 6 (iii) Average harvest per hunter in season =                                                  3

(iv) Average effort hours per hunter in season =                                  64 (v) Average flushed quails per hour per hunter =                      0.11

(vi) Average opportunity per hour per hunter (same as (v) above) =             0.11

(vii) Average harvest per hour per hunter =                       0.05

(viii) Average fraction of opportunity per hour harvested per hunter =           0.45

                                                                                                                                    or

                                                                                                                                  45%

(ix) Sustainability Index - (average fraction of opportunities per hour per 

           hunter that evaded harvest) =                                                            0.55

                                                                                                                                   or 

                                                                                                                                  55%

Notwithstanding the positive index, one might still think that the Sustainable Index of 55% for quail is low, indicating that harvesting the birds is unsustainable.  However, any quail hunter knows that a flushed quail is an 'easier' target due to the 'preannounced' presence by a pointing gun dog and the resulting 'close' shot.  Therefore, the fact that 55% (more than half) of flushed quails evaded harvest, plus the unknown number that evaded flushing, again indicates sustainability, also given that all flushed quails are classified as an 'opportunity'. Further statistics show that the number of harvested quails were composed of 58% males and 42% of females.

FKNK members should realise by now that the FKNK has managed to negotiate and secure the traditional spring hunting season, thanks in part to the results of such scientific surveys and studies.  Therefore, participation from more members is encouraged, since without these kinds of exercises, studies and projects that the FKNK continuously undertakes, spring hunting would no longer be permitted and would become a thing of the past. It would no longer be a Maltese socio-cultural traditional passion, but instead a part of Maltese history.

Lino C. Farrugia CEO - FKNK