Just when we thought BASC was getting with the programme, it comes out with this drivel about the recently published raptor persecution map for England & Wales:
This is a screengrab of part of an article that was published on the BASC website – the full article can be read here.
BASC seems to be suffering from a bout of amnesia. The recently published map is not “the first comprehensive raptor persecution map for England & Wales“, as BASC claims. Far from it! The RSPB has been publishing comprehensive raptor persecution maps for decades, including incidents of shootings, trappings and nest destruction. In fact the RSPB maps have been far more comprehensive than the latest DEFRA map, because they’ve included information about poisoned baits and attempted raptor killing; incidents which have conveniently been removed from the new DEFRA map at the behest of certain organisations within the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG).
Here’s an example of a comprehensive raptor persecution map published 15 years ago by the RSPB in the 2002 RSPB Birdcrime report. This is the earliest Birdcrime report we could find online but there are also reports (and maps) that were published earlier than this.
BASC also repeats the claim that the ‘new’ (not new) raptor persecution map “will allow enforcement to be effectively targeted“. This is also complete nonsense, as we discussed a few days ago (here) and as the Northern England Raptor Forum (NERF) also pointed out (here). Indeed, it’s one of the reasons why NERF removed its support of the ‘new’ (not new) raptor persecution map.
That’s not to say the map doesn’t have any value at all – it certainly does, but that value is in raising awareness amongst the general public that illegal raptor persecution continues, and that much of it is associated with land managed for game shooting.
To be seen as a credible voice fighting against raptor persecution, BASC needs to stop pretending that the RPPDG is way ahead of the game and is making progress on tackling raptor persecution. This is pure progaganda – we know it and BASC knows it.
Raptor Persecution UK 
On the subject of pole traps alone the RSPB produced and publicised a “map of shame” as far back as the 1970s…when I think of the hours of work in careful collation by RSPB staff but also the bravery of local people reporting many persecution incidents on powerful shooting estates – culminating in increasingly sophisticated detailed maps of these crimes…being ignored, because they were not under the control of the shooting lobby…it should make any thinking person seriously question why BASC and RPPDG and the NWCU should be believed and certainly why should they be respected in any way?…..
What needs repeated again and again is the statement “if you dont admit the size and sheer scale of the problem, how do you expect to fix it?”. These fools still think that if you play it all down we can get some sort of compromise from the criminals!…..Thats being nice to the above groups, Im sure theres plenty in there who dont want any change, except perhaps zero harriers on grouse moors – and theyve got pretty close already.
Before we can accept that the shooting lobby as represented by the likes of BASC they need to accept that these maps are actually somewhat short of the real data and thus give a false impression of the levels of relatively recent ( because they are not up to date either) persecution. Dave explains comprehensively above why that is required, to solve a problem we need to know the FULL extent of it. Of course it is the shooting lobby arguing almost that black is white at RPPDG meetings that have connived in the first place to omit a whole series of crimes from the maps. One might ask a few simple questions of them Why are they are PAW meetings at all? When are they going to fully co-operate in actually doing what the RPPDG was set up to do? Do they not realise that their industry will be worse off when the truth is exposed despite them? Perhaps it is time that we asked not what is the purpose of these meetings but why these apparently uncooperative pro shooting organisations are currently part of the RPPDG because sure as eggs is eggs with their current attitudes they should not be.
Don’t expect an organisation that is way behind the curve & still hitches itself to the criminally – based driven grouse industry to be on – message.
They lost credibility long ago which is a shame given the valuable work that they have done in the past in relation to assisting wild bird populations in the lowlands.
They are part of the past, they are not part of the future.
Keep up the pressure !
Alternative truth is all the rage at the moment.
Dave Dick’s insight is, as usual, very enlightening, as is the research by RPUK. The situation would be comical if it weren’t so serious, and we’re beginning to get the impression that these groups of collective organisations are akin to the Mafia covertly controlling the corrupt cops. This must boost the confidence and arrogance of the shooting interests. There may be a handful of respected members from conservation and academic backgrounds hanging on in there, but surely they must feel very uncomfortable at times? Some may be in it for the money or the kudos, but I assume generously that others maintain a presence to moderate the extreme views of the shooting lobby, which increasingly appear to be supported surreptitiously by Natural England. The pantomime is degenerating into complete farce.
There is very clear attempts to reduce reported raptor and wildlife crime by politicians, police, NWCU, SNH,NE and the shooting industry.
NGO,s, and members of the public who attempt to highlight the true scale of wildlife crime are excluded or held at arms length.
I agree that how can the problem be addressed if the size of the problem is continued to be hidden or denied