Scottish Environment Minister, Roseanna Cunningham, really showed those pesky gamekeepers that she means business when it comes to stamping out wildlife crime. In her speech at the Scottish Gamekeepers Association’s (SGA) annual general meeting on 5 March 2010, hard-hitting Roseanna gave them what for. Well actually, she didn’t.
Here is an excerpt from her speech:
“Unfortunately, the illegal killing of birds of prey in Scotland remains at an unacceptably high level, as shown by the recent high profile cases such as the poisoning of the golden eagle, Alma, which was being radio-tracked by SNH. Raptor persecution is one of the UK Wildlife Crime Priorities and we are committed to tackling this.
In Scotland even one incident of deliberate, illegal poisoning would be one too many. It is shameful that some of our most iconic species continue to face illegal persecution.
We all know that the illegal killing of birds of prey is having a serious impact on the populations of iconic species such as golden eagles and hen harriers. Birds of prey are our national assets, with huge public, cultural and tourism appeal.
However, I realise that those responsible for these illegal activities are in the minority.
I am most grateful for the efforts of the SGA who are trying to conserve birds of prey and the support that the SGA gives to the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAWS), in helping to defeat this type of crime.
The partnership approach taken in tackling this issue is apparent in the mix of people you see here today. We all have the same goal of defeating wildlife crime. Working together to share knowledge, resources and skills to deal with these issues is the only way to tackle this problem”.
Roseanna, it might be time to change your political advisors because they are clearly not giving you the full picture. What ‘efforts’, exactly, has the SGA made to try and conserve birds of prey? Perhaps you are referring to their long-running campaign (since 2000) to get licences to cull raptors? SGA chairman Alex Hogg even goes as far as saying if they had licences to kill raptors legally then the wildlife crime would stop ‘overnight’. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/birds-of-prey-persecution-a-special-ios-online-report-396066.html Is that an admission that if licences to kill raptors are not forthcoming then gamekeepers will continue the criminal activity of killing protected species? Wonderful! What a great effort they are making to conserve birds of prey!
Raptor Persecution UK 
As long as her advisors include xxxx xxxxxxx [Tayside Police], xxx xxxxxx [Crown Office] and Shriff xxxxx xxxxxxxx…then these nonsensical statements will continue. I am actually saddened by this…I really thoiught she was better than that.
If her advisors are tellng her this is an “unwinnable war” and she is better trying appeasement tactics..I can assure her that in wildlife crime [as in many other ares of human conflict] there is damn all evidence that that line has ever worked…but politically of course, its the easy way out.
Shame on you Roseanna.
PS To the blogmeister, whoever you are…Im growing alarmed at being the only commenter on any of this…perhaps your blog should get out more?..send it on to politicians and journalists, raptor study groups and charity members. I cant, as they will all assume Im behind you, whoever you are!!