Magpies could be removed from Welsh shooting licences
Magpies as well as jackdaws and jays could be removed from general licences © Adobe Stock General licences permitting Welsh farmers and landowners to control pest birds could be tightened following a review by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
A consultation exercise launched by the Welsh government-sponsored body includes a proposal to reduce the number of bird species that can be controlled.
The body said certain corvid species, such as magpie, jackdaw and jay, could be removed from general licences after evidence suggested their numbers were in decline in Wales.
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NRW stated: “We consider that a general licence for the purpose of preventing serious damage to livestock, crops and foodstuffs satisfies our proposed principles for the grant of a general licence.
“We propose to continue to grant a general licence for this purpose, but add further detail about which species of wild bird may be killed or taken to prevent which type of serious damage.”
The need for more detail follows legal challenges lodged by wildlife campaign groups which have claimed general licences encourage the unnecessary killing of certain species.
In 2020, conservation group Wild Justice raised £42,000 through crowdfunding which covered the legal costs to fund a judicial review of NRW’s licensing system.
Among the objections raised to the existing system was a failure to specify circumstances under which culling was necessary.
At the judicial review in August 2020, Justice Milwyn Jarman refrained from stating that general licences were unlawful.
However, he ruled that licences should specify the circumstances of their use in greater detail, and this is a key reason for the consultation exercise.
Wild Justice has welcomed the consultation and pledged to help its supporters complete the consultation exercise.
A spokesperson for the group said it would use the exercise to call for NRW to:
- Remove jackdaw, jay and magpie species from the “conservation” licence
- Improve its approach to bird species with declining populations on the Red/Amber list
- Revoke general licences in favour of a specific permit system
BASC view
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) in Wales has also urged its members to add their views to the consultation.
BASC Wales director Steve Griffiths said it was vital that those with an interest in the future of controlling wild birds had their say.
“We have been engaging with NRW throughout their [wider] wild bird review and been consistent and clear in asking for a workable licensing system that is based on evidence,” Mr Griffiths said.
He added that NRW must use ensure licences were future-proofed against legal challenges.
The consultation can be viewed on NRW’s website. Deadline for submissions is 11 November.
Why are general licences granted?
All wild birds are protected by law. There are, however, specific circumstances where governments permit their control where non-lethal methods have failed.
These include where there is a need to protect public health or safety; to prevent serious damage to crops, livestock or fisheries; and to conserve other species of wildlife.