New General Licence (GL45) to cover the release of gamebirds on or near certain Special Protection Areas 

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The Secretary of State for Defra, Steve Barclay, has announced the approval of a new General Licence (GL45) to cover the release of gamebirds across 30 Special Protected Areas (SPAs).

This comes after the mess of last year, when Defra decided to implement changes to GL43 at just 21 days’ notice; changes which the NGO declared at the time were unacceptable, unjustified and potentially unlawful. Since then, the NGO have been engaging with MPs and decision makers to ensure that nothing similar happened again for the forthcoming season.

John Clarke, Director. Conservation, Policy and Uplands at the NGO, said:

“The NGO have been working tirelessly behind the scenes, engaging with Defra to get the best possible result for shoots who wish to release game birds on SPA sites. We hosted the Defra licensing team out on the ground to discuss the issues, and we feel that this work has been instrumental in the return of the General Licence on all sites bar two. “

“We will work with Defra as well as any estates that do not qualify for a General Licence to get them an individual licence for their individual site.”

The GL45 for selected SPAs has now been published on GOV.uk at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gamebirds-licence-to-release-common-pheasants-or-red-legged-partridges-on-specified-special-protection-areas-or-within-500m-of-theirboundary-gl45.

The GL45 will permit the release of pheasants and red-legged partridges on or within 500 metres of the SPAs listed in the licence, subject to appropriate conditions. All of this detail can be found on the GOV.uk link. The GL will be in place from 31 May 2024 to 1 February 2025.

If your shoot is on or within 500m of a SPA that is covered by the general licence and you can comply with the conditions, Defra advise that you can now order your gamebirds. If your shoot is within 500m of a SPA that is not covered by GL45 or you cannot comply with the conditions, you will need to apply for an individual licence to release gamebirds.

Defra have also published guidance on the individual licencing process and this application process is now open. If you need to apply for an individual licence, Defra recommend that you pause ordering your birds and adapt your business planning until your application has been determined.