Welsh game bird review: the NGO needs you

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On Monday 27 March Natural Resources Wales (NRW), on behalf of the Welsh Government, launched a 12-week consultation which introduces proposals for a licensing system on the release of pheasants and red-legged partridge in Wales. The aim is to bring any changes into effect before the start of the 2024 season. 

Under the proposals, game bird releasing will be banned and only allowed under licence. This would give the Welsh Government the power to shut down all game shooting in Wales if they so wished. This is extremely worrying, given the fact that the Welsh Goverment are anti-shooting: Julie James, Minister for Climate Change in Wales, has previously stated that: ‘The Welsh Government does not support the shooting of live quarry as a leisure activity’.

The National Gamekeepers' Organisation are particularly concerned about the impact of these proposals on gamekeepers' jobs and the economy of rural communities, and on the unique biodiversity in Wales which relies on areas that are managed for shooting.
It is imperative that the Welsh government hear from everyone who has an interest in shooting. 

This is, so far, a Welsh issue, and if the proposals were implemented, Wales would become the first country in the UK to licence game shooting. However once one of the devolved administrations begins to look at an issue, it is likely that the others will follow suit. 

With that in mind, the NGO would urge everybody who has an interest in shooting to voice their concerns and take part in this consultation. Everyone needs to get involved.

 We will be offering advice later this week once we have seen and digested the consultation questions. This will be on our website and our social media pages.