The NGO respond to the Welsh Government's decision to ban all snares

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Earlier this week, the Welsh Government revealed the contents of their “historic first Welsh Agriculture Bill”. This bill includes plans to implement a complete ban on the use of snares, stating that "complete ban is the only way forward."

David Pooler, Chairman of The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, said:

"The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation is very concerned by the Welsh Government's intention to implement a complete ban on the use of all snares. 

"Over the last ten years the NGO has put hundreds of gamekeepers and farmers in Wales through courses on the correct use of humane cable restraints, and has been active in encouraging the move from old-fashioned snares to humane cable restraints. As a result, the majority of professional gamekeepers in Wales have now been on a humane cable restraint course.  

"The NGO has repeatedly asked the Welsh Government to ban old-fashioned snares. We have demonstrated to them the vast differences between these and the modern humane cable restraints, which people such as the GWCT have put vast amounts of time and money into developing. We have produced the science to back up the use of humane cable restraints. Sadly, the Welsh Government have chosen to ignore all of this, and simply ban all snares outright.  

"Humane cable restraints are a hugely valuable conservation tool in areas where foxes cannot be managed through other methods, such as uplands areas and large forestry blocks. These are often habitats where red and amber listed ground nesting birds such as curlew, lapwing and black grouse choose to live. Due to their nesting habits, these species are hugely vulnerable to predation, 

"The Welsh Government say that they are trying to save the curlew from extinction in Wales by throwing money at the problem. At the same time, they are taking all of our conservation tools away from us, including through general licence changes. 

"It is the indiscriminate and illegal use of old-fashioned snares by people who should not, in our opinion, have access to these devices which leads to animal welfare issues. We do not believe that the Welsh Government’s changes will put an end to this problem, as the people who wish to use them will still be able to source the illegal contraptions."