Natural England Consultation on Pest Bird Licensing Opens

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The National Gamekeepers' Organisation (NGO) has likened the impact of the proposals contained in the consultation launched by Natural England today (24 Feb 2014), on the future direction of the licensing system for the pest control of many bird species, as being akin to the "good, bad and ugly" of wildlife management.

The NGO has said most of its 15,000 members could be affected by the proposed changes, and while it intends to support wholeheartedly the parts that benefit the sensible control of pest species, it has pledged to oppose the "ludicrous" and "impractical" elements in the review "tooth and nail".

Natural England's Consultation on General and Class Licences under wildlife legislation in England seeks views on a range of proposals and topics relating to the General and Class Licences that it issues. Natural England amends the licences from time to time and this latest consultation is about changes that might come into effect from 1 January 2015.

A spokesman for the National Gamekeepers' Organisation said: "There are some sensible ideas in Natural England's suggestions, such as the inclusion of greylag geese on the General Licence for controlling agricultural pests, but there are some really bad proposals too. They include a revival of the ludicrous idea that pigeon shooters should have to scare their birds before attempting to shoot them - something Labour Ministers introduced in 2005 and on which they had to exercise a rapid U-turn. The NGO will support Natural England where its proposals make sense. But we will oppose such impractical suggestions and excessive regulation tooth and nail.

"Nearly all the shooting and trapping of pest birds in the UK is carried out under General Licences, issued annually on behalf of the Government. In England, the licences are issued by Natural England and they allow farmers, gamekeepers and others to trap and shoot birds such as pigeons, crows and rooks that can cause significant problems for agriculture and the conservation of rare species. This current shake-up of the licensing system could see jackdaws, jays and hooded crows all being removed from the General Licences.

He added: "The NGO is pleased that Natural England has consulted the public, and on this occasion, unlike others, has allowed sufficient time to take account of peoples' views. But the NGO has several serious concerns about aspects of the Natural England review, including the suggestion that a new Code of Bird Trapping Practice should have the force of law and become a legal condition of the licences. This could mean, for example, that just having dirt in the water provided for a live decoy bird could result in prosecution. Anyone who has ever operated a decoy trap knows how difficult it is to stop a captive bird fouling its own water, to say nothing of the risk of gamekeepers being maliciously set up by opponents of shooting.

"A further suggested change is that breach of any one licensing condition would disqualify the individual from operating under General Licences at all. For example, if a decoy magpie was said to have insufficient shade that one thing could be the end of an individual's entire gamekeeping career or indeed their pigeon shooting. It smacks of draconian rules introduced by the back door and is certainly at odds with Natural England's pledge to 'reduce unnecessary burdens on those we regulate'."

The NGO believed that Natural England's proposals could have a widespread impact on gamekeepers, farmers, professional pest controllers and recreational shooters, including wildfowlers. The NGO said it would be working with other sector representatives on a co-ordinated response to Natural England's consultation.

The Natural England Consultation on General and Class Licences under wildlife legislation in England is also open to the public. All responses must be received by 19 May 2014.

The document can be viewed on Natural England's website at http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/wildlife/licences/wildlifelicensingconsultation.aspx

Notes to Editors

The National Gamekeepers' Organisation represents the gamekeepers of England and Wales. It defends and promotes gamekeeping, gamekeepers and ensures high standards throughout the profession. It was founded in 1997 by a group of gamekeepers who felt that their profession was threatened by public misunderstanding and poor representation. The NGO has more than 15,000 members. www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk