A new group to tackle wildlife crime was launched today by Scottish Environment Minister, Roseanna Cunningham.
The Tayside Partnership Against Wildlife Crime (Tayside PAW) appears to be an off-shoot of the nationally ineffective Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime. It’s not clear how this local group’s work will differ from the national group, other than it might actually get something done. Lord knows something needs to be done in Tayside – the region with the worst statistics for the persecution of raptors (see previous post on 2009 poisoning figures).
The contact for this new group is Alan Stewart, the Wildlife Liaison Officer for Tayside Police. Yes, the very same Tayside Police who have been recently criticised by the RSPB for ineffective follow-up on alleged raptor persecution incidents in this region, most notably concerning eagles at a certain notorious black-spot in the Angus glens (see the blog post May 3rd 2010). Alan Stewart is also an executive member of PAW Scotland and chairman of the PAW training and awareness sub-group (whatever that is).
For BBC news story on Tayside PAW: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-10939533
For Tayside Police press release: http://www.tayside.police.uk/newsitem.php?id=2048
Raptor Persecution UK 
Another wildlife crime cluster group, That’s an original idea.
Who do we have now PAW, PAW Scotland and now Tayside PAW. These appear to be nothing more than quangos with groups and sub groups meetings, lunches, expenses etc.
How many more raptor persecution cases are being solved. How many more poisoners are being convicted? These criminals will not be caught by drinking coffee in plush offices, we need trained people on the ground looking for these offences and investigating rogue estates.
This is nothing more than masturbation for the Scottish Government – feels good but produces nothing.
Jock Scott
We need to add ‘Operation Countrywatch’ to the cluster of wildlife crime groups operating in this area. Oh, and then there’s the Raptor Priority Group (a sub-group of PAW Scotland) and then there’s the National Wildlife Crime Unit, oh and then the RSPB and oh then the SSPCA…..Marvellous use of resources.
“oh and then the RSPB and oh then the SSPCA”…
and thats where you’re wrong…those two groups are constantly harrassed by the police and other “authorities” within PAWCS when they try to get out in the field and do it right…as they did prior to all these “partnerships” – but of course that upset the landowners so “something had to be done”….hence the bourach we now see…
Like the blogmeister here…I too hope that this might actually get something done but while those in charge are so close to the problem [too many friendly/professional connections with the estates involved] this is exttremely unlikely. What is needed is an outside taskforce with hill experience who will not be liaising with all and sundry but who will investigate, then make sure the Law is applied evenly.
What you are seeing is a continued attempt to maintain a status quo set up 100 years ago – that is, the population of predators entirely within the control of the shooting community. Everything is subservient to that aim.
If we manage to get 4 PAWS maybe they’ll run away and hide. What a useless, ineffective and dangerous quango that’s already been severely infiltrated by people with ulterior motives, I wouldn’t trust then any further than I could see them !!!
nirofo.