Victory for keepers as gamebird licensing threat withdrawn

Licensing amendments dropped at Stage 2

In a win for keepers, attempts to introduce licensing for gamebird releases in Scotland were dropped on 10 December following extensive MSP briefings during stage 2 of the Natural Environment Bill.

Green MSP and former biodiversity minister Lorna Slater withdrew her amendment, which would have removed the exemption for gamebirds under non-native species laws in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Had it been supported, the amendment could have led to pheasant and partridge release requiring a licence in Scotland.

Similar amendments from Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba and Liberal Democrat MSP Beatrice Wishart were also not moved during the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee’s consideration of the bill at Stage 2.

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Sector welcomes outcome

BASC Scotland and the Scottish Gamekeepers Association both welcomed the outcome, saying their advocacy work with MSPs had been successful in demonstrating that the proposals were poorly evidenced and unnecessary.

During committee proceedings, Ms Slater stoked the ire of game shooting supporters by referring to pheasants as “exotic birds” whilst claiming they had an elevated role in the spread of avian influenza. However, the SGA was able to counter that claim, providing supporting evidence that only one game farm had been implicated in an AI case in Scotland, with no birds being distributed from the affected premises.

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Scottish Government position

Cabinet secretary Gillian Martin could not support licensing gamebird releases, stating that the Scottish Government does not have complete data on release numbers. She committed to exploring whether additional research is needed to support informed discussion on sustainable gamebird management in the future.

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BASC and SGA response

BASC Scotland director Peter Clark said common sense had prevailed following the organisation’s briefings to MSPs on the negative impact the amendments would have had on biodiversity and habitat benefits delivered by responsible shooting and conservation. “We remain vigilant against any further attempts to reintroduce these amendments as the Bill nears its final stages.”

The SGA said the game sector had worked hard to make it clear to MSPs that the moves were poorly evidenced and unnecessary. “We also reiterated the many benefits gamebird management has for biodiversity, wildlife and jobs. As this Bill is about the environment, ‘wrecking’ amendments like this are ill-judged. Gamekeepers are planting species-rich hedgerows and cover crops which benefit a range of small birds. They are planting and managing woodlands, legally promoting a positive species balance and creating ponds and wetlands which have wide-ranging benefits.”

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Next steps

The bill will return for stage 3 consideration, where further amendments can be lodged.