Further to the news today that the Scottish Government has launched a public consultation on its proposals for a grouse-shooting licensing scheme (here), REVIVE, the coalition for grouse moor reform, has cautiously welcomed the proposals.
The statement, published on REVIVE’s website (here) notes that ‘the consultation is the start of a process which will significantly change the way in which large areas of Scotland are managed, making it one of the biggest interventions in this area for generations’.
Campaign Manager Max Wiszniewski is quoted:
“We are pleased the Scottish Government has recognised the need to legislate the way in which Scotland’s grouse moors are managed. This is a woefully under-regulated industry which has been left to effectively wreak havoc on our countryside.
The proposed Bill will address the serious issues which over generations have been allowed to create a circle of destruction around huge areas of our land, managed for grouse which are then shot for entertainment.
While the REVIVE Coalition welcomes the consultation, we are disappointed the scope of the exercise isn’t wider. We look forward to working with the Government to bring forward a robust, and long overdue piece of legislation which has the potential to address all elements of the circle of destruction surrounding Scotland’s grouse moors.”
REVIVE will submit a considered response to the consultation, which closes on 14th December 2022.
The REVIVE coalition comprises the League Against Cruel Sports (Scotland), OneKind, Common Weal, Friends of the Earth (Scotland) and Raptor Persecution UK.
Raptor Persecution UK 
This feels like more delay & procrastination instead of effective action to deal with the Environmental damage and persecution of wildlife associated with Driven Grouse Shooting.
Nailed it Andy.
The SG knows exactly what needs doing and how to do it. This smacks of delaying tactics yet again.
The danger I see is that every gun in the land will be encouraged to submit a response, but how many responses can we expect to get. Unless you read this website or Mark’s, who is going to be encouraging the responses from our side.
SWT? RSPB?
I know this sounds negative but can us people in the know really amount to more than the guns? And the RSPB has just published their mag so the next one won’t be until January.
I’ll be badgering friends as I hope all will but unless the SG get more responses from our side, they will assume nobody is looking and water down the proposals.
Please somebody tell me I’m wrong.
Hi Paul
I don’t see it as ‘delaying tactics’ at all, in fact the complete opposite. Scot Gov is planning to introduce draft legislation in the new year, the Wildlife Management (Grouse) Bill, so this public consultation will feed into that. If the draft legislation was introduced to Parliament without a consultation/pre-legislative scrutiny, the Govt would probably have faced judicial review.
And don’t forget, whatever ends up in the draft Bill will still undergo several stages of Parliamentary examination and amendments, with strong arguments being made on both ‘sides’.
I’m delighted to see the public consultation, albeit three years after Werritty submitted his review, and especially pleased that it’s ‘public’ and not restricted to interest groups as Werritty was.
I think there’ll be a large number of respondents, from both sides, but in this case quality, rather than quantity, will be important.
Thank you for that Ruth. Old age and cynicism are inevitable bedfellows I fear, having waited so long. You are a credit to us all.
You’re right on all counts Paul!
I wouldn’t trust the Scot Gov / SNP one cm. They have sided with landed and business interests consistently over the environment throughout their tenure, unless they were embarrassed into taking action. Eg Trump and Menie, hill tracks voting to reject taking underplanning along with the Tories. Beavers a bit of greenwashing at the front of house while supporting whole scale cull and opposing relocation behind the headlines. This will be more of the same spin to keep the faithful happy, provide soundbites, claim to be doing better than ‘England’ , but actually will be designed to change little. The SNP are broke and money talks. While the Greens in Scotland are not really interested in environmental issues so while they have the influence they will exert it for other policy areas.